Across Time
by SvF-BD02-Wedge
Summary: What Kagome treasures most is taken away from her. She had lost hope of ever finding it again, but could it really be that what was taken has found her? InuyashaKagome
1. Across Time

Across Time  
  
For Claire  
  
This fic, including all chapters after this one use characters from the manga and anime   
  
Inuyasha. None of these characters belong to me.  
  
Welcome! Welcome to my second Inuyasha multi-chapter fic! If I'm lucky this will be 1/100  
  
as succesful as TFAC, though I doubt it. I don't know what made it so loved, but I don't think  
  
I'll ever be able to match it in sheer popularity. Yes I know this plot is overused, but then  
  
again, TFAC was too.  
  
Kagome leaned against the wells edge with her near empty bag on her back as she rolled   
  
the now complete Shikon no Tama in her hand staring at it. 'Its finally over.' Kagome mused.   
  
'No more running around Japan fighting demons and nearly being killed. No more Naraku and his  
  
schemes, no more Kouga trying to steal me away to be his woman, no more Inuyasha...' Kagome   
  
felt tears starting to well up, but blinked them away. 'I can finally go home and catch up on   
  
my school work and go places with my friends. Maybe I can stop Hojo from chasing me around and  
  
find a boyfriend I like. It'll be great!' Then why did she want to grab a rock and smash the  
  
Shikon into pieces?  
  
Could she really just leave this place behind? Abandon all of her friends she had made  
  
and never return? How was she going to even walk the short distance back to the well after   
  
saying goodbye to Inuyasha forever, give him the Shikon, and leave him to be happy with Kikyou?  
  
A few tears ran down her cheeks and she wiped them away with the top of her blouse. Why did  
  
fate have to be so cruel to her? She was glad that Inuyasha would be happy, but that didn't make  
  
it less painful to leave. Couldn't it be Hojo she was leaving and Inuyasha who would be waiting  
  
patiently, well maybe not patiently, for her return?  
  
With a sniff and a sigh Kagome pushed off the rim and towards the village. She hadn't   
  
gotten more than two feet when Inuyasha landed in front of her at the edge of the clearing   
  
where he had apparently been watching her from a nearby tree. "Inuyasha!" Kagome said  
  
a bit startled as she tried to compose herself a little better. "I told you I was  
  
just going for a walk, didn't you think I'd come back?" Inuyasha looked at her expressionlessly  
  
then at the Shikon she held in her hand. "You're leaving aren't you?" He said dully. "Forever."  
  
Kagome tried to give him a cheerful smile but only succeeded in a sad one.  
  
"You don't need me anymore Inuyasha. You can become a full demon like you wanted to   
  
with the Shikon no Tama and stay here with Kikyou. I'll just get in your way." she said stepping  
  
closer and holding out the Shikon to him, which glinted in the sun light. "No!" Inuyasha shook his   
  
head angrily. "You promised you would stay by my side! You can't leave!" he shouted. "W-what?"   
  
Kagome said confused. Inuyasha moved away from the edge of the clearing closer towards the center  
  
where Kagome was standing, her hand outstretched. Calming down a little, he gently batted her hand  
  
to the side and put his hands on her shoulders. "I-"   
  
"I will be taking the Shikon." A voice rang out to the left of them. The startled pair   
  
turned to see Kikyou in the shadows with her bow aimed at them. "Kikyou?!" the both said at once.  
  
Kikyou titled her head a little in acknowledgement. "Neither of you is worthy of protecting the  
  
Shikon no Tama. I had hoped Naraku and your group would have destroyed each other leaving me to  
  
resume my duties as the protector of the Shikon, but he was a fool after all. Now give me the   
  
Shikon no Tama." She said calmly before stepping into the clearing.   
  
Suddenly, as if somehow triggered by her entrance into the clearing, the well started to  
  
radiate pink energy and hum as if bees were buzzing about. Kikyou reacted spontaneously and aimed  
  
her bow at the possible new threat. "What sort of magic is this?" She got her answer, though   
  
probably not in the way she wanted, as a beam of pink energy shot out and struck Kikyou in the   
  
midsection before disappearing inside of her. Kikyou dropped her bow and arrow and started to reach  
  
out towards Inuyasha. As soon as her hand was in front of her it started turning to stone. All three  
  
of them watched in horror as inch by inch Kikyou's body changed to stone all the while souls flying  
  
out from her body. As the stone began to crawl up her neck and cover her head, Kikyou looked up   
  
at Inuyasha and their gazes met for the briefest of moments before she became nothing more than  
  
a statue. Behind them the well stopped glowing and humming.  
  
Inuyasha's mouth opened and closed and Kagome continued to stare. With a small bang, Kikyou's  
  
body crumbled to dust and the piece of Kagome's soul flew towards her strangely glowing pink and  
  
struck Kagome with incredible force. With a gasp, Kagome stumbled backwards and dropped the Shikon  
  
no Tama from her hand so she could grab the edge of the well,barely preventomg herself from toppling   
  
in. Steadying herself, Kagome turned to Inuyasha, who was now looking at her concerned. "What was that?"  
  
she asked. Before Inuyasha could answer, the well began to glow much brighter and hum a lot louder  
  
that before. Kagome's eyes widened as she felt a weak tug coming from the well, as if it were a  
  
vacuum cleaner and she was the dirt. Her hair blew about her as the suction increased rapidly.  
  
"Get away!" Inuyasha yelled moving to assist her, but it was too late. As if sensing   
  
Inuyasha's intentions, the well Glowed blindingly for a second, making Inuyasha shield his eyes,  
  
before the suction on Kagome increased a hundred fold, causing a visible effect of suction in  
  
the air as floating dust was dragged in. Kagome resisted for a moment before she was overwhelmed  
  
and dragged down the well. "INUYASHAAaaa!! she cried reaching out as she was pulled down the well,  
  
her voice becoming fainter as she went. An instant after she disappeared and the well returned to  
  
normal, Inuaysha appeared above the well. "NO!" he shouted snatching the Shikon from the ground  
  
and leaping over the edge. He landed on his hands and knees, surprised, with a thump at the bottom.  
  
"No.." he said in disbelief as he stared at the ground.   
  
"NO! DAMN YOU LET ME THROUGH!" He yelled slamming his fist into the ground with all of his  
  
might causing the well to shudder slightly from the vibrations through the ground. Not surprisingly  
  
the well didn't respond. It had done its duty. "LET, ME, THROUGH!" He continued to shout slamming his  
  
fist into the ground with each word. Inuyasha stared at his now slightly damaged hand that was  
  
surrounded by a sizable hole in the dirt for a long moment, his body shaking slightly. With a sob of defeat  
  
Inuyasha dropped his head onto the ground and clenched a handful of dirt with each hand. A tear dropped  
  
from his face onto the dirt below. What followed next was a cry of anguish that rang through the entire   
  
forest and village that no one would forget for many a year.  
  
*************************************************************************************************  
  
Kagome's Time. Three weeks later.  
  
Kagome walked down the street staring blankly at the ice cream cone as she she walked down  
  
the street. Behind her, Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi followed her a step behind while licking their ice cream.  
  
"I don't think the ice cream is helping." whispered Ayumi. Yuka and Eri rolled their eyes. "What gave  
  
you that idea Ayumi? The fact that half of it is dripping onto the ground and that she hasn't taken  
  
a single lick?" Yuka teased. Ayumi looked mildly surprised. "You noticed too?" The other two girls  
  
sweatdropped. After a few seconds of silence Yuka leaned closer to the other thing. "She's really   
  
been taking the breakup with Hojo badly isn't she?"  
  
"And it looks like she's finally getting over all of these sicknesses too. Couldn't he atleast   
  
have waited a few more weeks until after her birthday comes?"' Eri added. Ayumi simply hmmed   
  
thoughtfully. "I've been wondering if maybe its not Hojo thats bothering her. Do you think maybe   
  
something happened with that violent boy with commitment issues that was her semi-boyfriend?" Up ahead  
  
Kagome stiffened slightly, but continued to walk. Eri took a lick of her ice cream. "No way, how could   
  
you even think of something like that? She and Hojo have been a happy couple for practically forever   
  
now." Ayumi rubbed her head. "You're right, I guess the ice cream is freezing my brain." "Your brain is  
  
always frozen." Yuka replied sending the three into soft giggles.  
  
Kagome let herself return to staring blankly at her half melted ice cream. It was best if they   
  
thought it was Hojo that was bothering her. In fact it was best that he had finally found another girl  
  
he liked. Kagome had never met her, but she had heard that the girl was a lot like Hojo. Atleast they  
  
could be happy together. But what of her? Kagome wasn't sure she could ever be happy, truly happy.   
  
The pain had eased slightly after the first week. During which she had basically alternated between  
  
staying locked in her room and crying, and standing in the well shrine, hoping that if she stood there  
  
long enough Inuyasha might appear to come to get her to hunt shards again. She had lost count at how many  
  
times she had tried jumping down the well after 200. Eventually her mother had to come and help her out  
  
after her legs had given up on her.  
  
It was about then when her legs were still sore and were covered with scratches that Hojo came to  
  
visit. Atleast this time she had looked sick, her face was a mess from crying. He hadn't come to bring her  
  
a gift and to tell her to get well soon. He had brought her a gift though, probably the first usefull thing  
  
he had ever brought her, tissues. He had then informed her that he had met a girl from another school when   
  
he was at the country wide Quiz Bowl championship, (Not surprisingly he was the captain of the school's   
  
team) and they were now dating. He had apologized to her multiple times, no doubt his conscience bothering  
  
him, and Kagome had done her best to smile and wish him well.  
  
It was about a day after that Kagome had accepted the truth. She would never see Inuyasha or the   
  
others again, cruel though it was that she had even been deprived of saying goodbye to them. And so she had  
  
cleaned herself up and forced herself go back to school. Her family had been very supporting of her and  
  
comforted her the best they could, not making her go back to school until she was ready. Though she had   
  
been going back to school for two full weeks now her grades were becoming even worse than when she had  
  
been when she was traveling through time. She just couldn't focus anymore, her mind continuously drifting back  
  
to her friends in the past.   
  
Right before she had been pulled back to her time period, when she had decided to give Inuyasha the  
  
jewel and leave him to be happy with Kikyou, a small part of her still held onto the hope that some how  
  
it would work out, that she would be able to stay there and live with her friends. But that hope  
  
was now gone, just like Inuyasha, Shippo, Miroku, Sango, Kaede, Kirara, and even Kouga were now gone. Behind  
  
her Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi continued to chat among themselves. They were doing their best to cheer her up, but  
  
unless they could build a time machine it was futile. It was unfair to them to let them waste so much of their  
  
time.  
  
Kagome gave a little sigh and stopped. Behind her the three girls stopped as well. "Whats wrong Kagome?"  
  
Eri asked. Kagome turned her head a little to look at them. "If its alright with you, I'd like to walk the rest  
  
of the way home by myself." "Are you sure you'll be okay Kagome?" Yuka asked concerned. Kagome gave them a small  
  
smile and nodded. "Don't worry, I'll be fine." Ayumi gave her a big smile. "Well We'll see you at school tommorow  
  
then Kagome, bye!" The other two girls nodded and smiled as well before heading off in another direction. Kagome  
  
watched them go before continuing on her walk home as she satered at the sidewalk not really paying attention  
  
where she was headed, trusting her feet to take her where she needed to go.  
  
Several minutes later, so lost in thought was she that she didn't even notice the person standing in front  
  
of her until she had collided with him, sending her to the ground and splattering ice cream all over her uniform.  
  
"Watch where you are going wench." a familiar voice told her. Kagome looked up slightly stunned to see a figure that  
  
was slightly blurry do to the sun being behind him and Kagome having to squint. A figure with long black hair.  
  
'Inuyasha?'  
  
And so ends the first chapter, did you like it? I hope so. If not, please tell me why. 


	2. Across Time Part 2

Across Time part 2  
  
Wow, 50 reviews! Not bad if I do say so myself :D I wrote this chapter shorter than the last, you'll  
  
see why at the end though :P.  
  
-tao-fairlight- Ehehe, actually I think this idea is MORE use than those you suggested _ _.  
  
-moon-neko-princess- Ehehe *Sweatdrops* Maybe not a hundred thousand but I can garuntee you atleast  
  
ten thousand. I wouldn't mind that many reviews though ;). And no I don't think Across Time can beat  
  
the popularity of TFAC, my next story possible which IS fairly original.  
  
-Ghoul King- I try to limit myself one chapter fic at a time. The reviewers would annihilate your   
  
ghostly self if you forced them to wait longer for chapters becuase I was writing two at the same  
  
time. Its an interesting idea, however, and I can see possibilities, but I don't really have much  
  
spare time. If you like I'll write it down in my notes and think about it for a while.  
  
-fuma-the-dragon-of-earth- The lemon won't be in this fic, possibly never. But there IS going to  
  
be more stuff than in TFAC (hence the PG-13 rating. I've never been one for lots of swearing)  
  
-The Authoress L- Eheeh yes there might be one or two other TFAC fans present :P.  
  
-sapphire hanyou- You know that makes a lot of sense actually...  
  
-lilemmy- Revenge? Are you kidding it will always be one of my greatest memories seeing all of  
  
the looks of jelousy I got that I was touched by the God of Star Trek!  
  
-Junichi - Ehehe you've been reading too many fanfics. I can assure you Hojo is NOT INuyasha's  
  
reincarnation. Unless Rukimo Takahashi reveals that to us in the last chapter of the manga.  
  
If anyone I think Hojo is Kouga's reincarnation.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-   
  
Kagome blinked several times as the black haired man crouched beside her. He had a very   
  
familiar looking smirk on his face, whether becuase of the comical sight she was with her school   
  
uniform all covered in ice cream or becuase of some unknown reason she didn't know. As he came into  
  
focus, Kagome felt a wave of disappointment. It wasn't Inuyasha, though the resemblance was uncanny.  
  
For one thing he looked like he was in his early twenties at least. He was slightly taller, his ears  
  
were larger and matched with a slightly longer nose, and even though he was wearing sunglasses,   
  
Kagome was certain she saw blue eyes staring back at her. She could also never picture Inuyasha   
  
wearing a blue business suit with a dark black tie and dark brown shoes like the man in front of her  
  
was.  
  
It was an impressive match, but he was still much different than the human Inuyasha she knew.  
  
'My mind is playing tricks on me.' she thought shaking her head a little. No doubt she had imagined the  
  
rude comment as well. "You ok?" the man asked leaning foreward onto the tips of his toes. Even their   
  
voices sounded similar. Not the same, but close. The way the sun now glinted off of his sunglasses   
  
prevented her from seeing his eyes, but Kagome got the distinct feeling that he was looking her over  
  
from head to toe with a piercing gaze. Kagome then realized that the man had his hand out to help her   
  
up.  
  
Feeling a little ackward by the man's resemblance to Inuyasha, Kagome took it hesitantly.  
  
Effortlessly, the black haired stranger stood up, taking Kagome with him. He released his firm grip on  
  
her and took a step back. Kagome bowed to him, feeling silly. "I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention  
  
and-" The man waved her apology away. "You're a mess, come with me and I'll get you cleaned up."  
  
It was a kind offer, and one she might have considered as the melted ice cream was soaking through her  
  
clothes and onto her skin, which was not a very comfortable thing, had the person offering it not   
  
looked like someone she knew from 500 years ago. She had nothing against the man, he couldn't help   
  
looking like Inuyasha, but the last thing she wanted now was another reminder of what she had lost.  
  
"Thank you, but my house is only about a ten minute walk-" Kagome paused as the man slowly lifted  
  
a hand and removed his sunglasses. For some reason she was hypnotised by it. He held them a little ways   
  
from his head as their eyes met, blue and brown (or green if you read the manga). Then, just for a moment,  
  
the man's eyes flashed golden. Startled, Kagome gasped and took a step backwards. She blinked and when she  
  
had his eyes were blue again. "I live near here. Why don't you come with me? It'll be better than  
  
walking home covered in ice cream." he said paying no mind to her reaction. Though he had phrased it like  
  
a question, the power behind them made it more of a command.  
  
Feeling like she was in a daze or dream, Kagome nodded dumbly. Satisfied, the man put his glasses  
  
back on and turned around. Without looking back he called "This way." and started walking, presumably   
  
to his home. Kagome hurried to catch up to him. She followed him on his right side not trying to hide the  
  
fact that she was basically staring at him. 'Did I imagine that?' she wondered staring at his eyes behind  
  
his sunglasses. She could feel something growing inside her that had been dead for some time now. It was   
  
both wonderful and terrible at the same time, hope. It grew as she noted other similarities. Things that   
  
she had never really noticed back in the Warring States. How he walked for one, though he had his arms   
  
folded instead of in his sleeves. His hair, his eyes (minus the color), the aforementioned slow, graceful   
  
yet powerful way he walked, they were all so similar. The small part of her mind that was warning her of  
  
the dangers of going home with a man she had never met before was completely ignored as continued to   
  
scrutinize this Inuyasha lookalike. She didn't notice the odd occurance of dogs barking from inside houses  
  
and fences as they passed.  
  
It seemed like only an instant, though it was probably more around two minutes, when they arrived  
  
at his home. It was in a part of Tokyo she had never visited except for when riding the bus. One of the   
  
more upper class neighborhoods. Each house had a sizable yard and a few of the nicer ones even had metal  
  
fences or brick walls. The one she was standing in front was one of those. It had a high, tan stone wall  
  
with a black metal gate. The gate itself led to a small area still surrounded by wall where there was a  
  
dark brown wooden door that Kagome assumed led into the yard beyond. With the wall surrounding the entire  
  
house there was no way to view what went on inside below the top of the large tree she could see and the   
  
roof of the house itself except from the air. This house had obviously been built with privacy being a key  
  
issue.  
  
The man, who seemed a little excited to Kagome, moved quickly to the gate and wordlessly opened it.  
  
Kagome didn't see him produce a key, in fact from her point of view it seemed that he simply stuck his   
  
finger into the lock and fiddled with it for a moment. Whatever he did the lock clicked and he pushed the  
  
gate open. Kagome again failed to notice the sound of numerous dogs yapping from nearby homes as the man  
  
motioned for her to come as he opened the inner door. Her legs seemed to have a mind of their own and she  
  
wasn't sure she could stop them if she wanted to as she obediently walked past him into a fairly large   
  
yard.   
  
Kagome let her eyes inspect her new surroundings and vaugely noted the sound of doors and gates   
  
closing and locking. There wasn't a shred of cement inside the walls. The entire yard was covered in grass   
  
and looked like it could use a good mowing. The landscape itself was more or less flat, and dotted with   
  
wildflowers and brown leaves, the first sign that Fall was approaching. Kagome also didn't fail to notice   
  
the large tree growing in front of the house. She wasn't sure what kind of tree it was but it reminded her   
  
of a miniture God Tree, though it had low branches as well as high ones. Many of its leaves had been lost   
  
and the others were turning brown.   
  
The house itself was old, atleast fourty years, but well taken care off. Two stories high and   
  
completely tan the house was built where the bottom floor was about twice the length of the top and a bit   
  
wider creating somewhat of a layered pyramid effect (like the ones built by the Mayans). There were four  
  
evenly spaced windows on the bottom floor and two windows on each side of the top floor with a large bulbous   
  
window in between. The roof was black and rounded on the top floor, and flat with hanging edges on   
  
the bottom floor. The door was chestnut brown with a small, circular window in it and two rectangular ones  
  
on each side. It was, in Kagome's opinion, a very pretty house. In fact the only peculiarity was that every  
  
window visible had closed blinds. Even the windows on the door had small blinds.   
  
"Come on." Kagome blinked and noticed the man, who she realized she still hadn't told her his name,  
  
had already passed her and was half way to the door. He had the door open for her by the time she caught up.  
  
She stepped inside, followed by the black haired man. She looked around. She was in a short hall. To her   
  
left was a staircase to the second floor, at the top of which was a shut white door. The stairs were dark   
  
brown and all of the walls she could see were white. Any more inspection was cut short by a very disturbing  
  
sound. The closing and locking of a door.   
  
Ehehe! Cliffhanger of doom! 


	3. Across Time Part 3

Across Time part 3  
  
I'm sorry everyone! I know its been weeks since my last update, but I have a good excuse this time. Really  
  
I do! The first week I literally had no free time. In fact I wasn't even home on the weekend except to sleep.  
  
I had drama every day of the school week, I volunteered at the hospital three times a week, had two poster   
  
projects due within two days of eachother, and had to work at the haunted house. The next week I had my   
  
wisdom teeth removed, so that's why I haven't written since then. Ok enough excuses time for review responses.  
  
I was a bit surprised at the lack of death threats. You people take all the fun out of cliffhangers :P.  
  
-Warcrafter- This is indeed an Inuyasha/Kagome fic. I'd sooner die that write a Naraku/Kagome fic. _ _  
  
I have a feeling that statement is going to come back and haunt me some day.  
  
-lancer272spoot- A neko is a cat youkai, like Kirara. Thanks for the name of the pyramids, I knew there was  
  
one but I couldn't think of it.  
  
-lilemmy- Actually most of the house is white or tan, its just the doors and stairway that's brown.  
  
-moon-neko-princess- Your right, I am the only one who knows *maniac style laughter* Actually I don't really  
  
know all that far into the story, just a few chapters. And I write this for my friend Claire, you guys are  
  
just 'lucky' enough to experience it too :P.  
  
-mkh2- I agree. Hocus Pocus was a great movie. and I don't know exactly what manga they are on, I don't read  
  
it up here. But I do know if you search for 'Inuyasha' in the Yahoo! search engine one of the first sites  
  
that come up has all the manga translations, that'll tell you where they are.  
  
-SessyBabe- then get that cabbage ready for this chapter :P. And yes that is Fanfiction.net that is screwing  
  
up the format of the stories. I actually write them single spaced with spaces between paragraphs.  
  
-Stardust423- Thankyou, but I already have something of a beta reader, though she is more about content than  
  
grammar and spelling. A quick run through microsoft word can usually fix most of that anyways.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
Kagome stiffened when she finally fully realized that she was in the home of a man she had never met  
  
before, even if he did look like Inuyasha, and noone knew where she was. Kagome felt fear start to replace the   
  
hope she had felt moments ago. "You know, I think maybe I should just go home. My mother will be worried if I  
  
don't get back soon and I really don't know you-" Kagome said as she turned around and walked towards the door.  
  
She had her hand on the lock when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She stopped her nervous speech and turned  
  
towards the now potentially dangerous stranger.  
  
She gazed into his eyes, as his sunglasses had vanished to some unknown place, nervously as he stared   
  
back. Then he did something strange, he smirked and lifted his other hand up to the top of his head and   
  
removed something that had been hidden there. He held it out for Kagome. Kagome took the object and   
  
looked at it feeling very confused. It was a leaf. Before her mind could process what this meant the stranger  
  
seemed to start to melt in front of her.   
  
Kagome pulled away from the mans grip as she watched in shock at his transformation, still holding   
  
the leaf. The first thing to change was his colors. Black hair turned silver, black clothing turned red, blue  
  
eyes turned gold... Then more prominent changes occurred. His ears disappeared from their original place to   
  
reform as doggy ears on the top of his head. His now red business suit melted into baggy, Feudal aged clothing  
  
and his shoes seemed to simply disappear, leaving him a bit shorter. What was at first a normal human smirk   
  
showing bits of human teeth had now become a fanged smirk that she had longed to see. Kagome steadied herself  
  
against the nearby wall as she stared wide eyed at the now non-stranger. "Inuyasha." she said breathlessly.   
  
Inuyasha stepped forward and opened his mouth to speak. But then Kagome did what any normal, decent, self   
  
respecting girl would do in her circumstances. She fainted. The last thing Kagome remembered before she  
  
blanked out was hearing a very loud "Ah DAMN!"  
  
*********************************************************************************************************  
  
"Not going how you had planned eh Inuyasha?" "Shut up twerp and go get some water." "Why  
  
don't you do it? It was your ugly face that made her faint. What were you doing scaring her like that?!"  
  
Kagome groaned softly and opened her eyes. 'Where am I?' she wondered, the past events being nothing but  
  
a blur. When her vision cleared she was greeted with a once very familiar image, Inuyasha had Shippo by the  
  
scruff of his neck with a fist raised. The quarreling pair turned to look at her. Suddenly everything that  
  
had happened came rushing back and she sat up sharply with a gasp. "I-Inuyasha! Shippo! You came- I thought-  
  
but!-but the well!" Kagome stammered, with her eyes wide and her hand crushing the leaf still in her grip,  
  
partially not wanting to believe for fear that it was all just a hallucination.  
  
Inuyasha dropped Shippo, who fell on his rear with a thud, and turned completely towards the babbling  
  
girl. "Oi! Calm down, you aren't making any sense." he said crouching and leaning forward on the balls of his   
  
feet. There was some concern etched on his face, but what was prominent was relief, and maybe some happiness,  
  
hidden in his amber eyes, as if some great burden had been lifted from him recently. Kagome's eyes, however,   
  
were filling with tears of joy, which she didn't try to blink back. "You- You made it through the well." she  
  
said with a choked laugh and smile. "I thought it was sealed forever." Kagome felt a great urge to hug the   
  
life out of him at that moment, to feel that he really was there and eliminate all doubt. She restrained herself  
  
as Inuyasha's and behind him Shippo's faces turned somewhat grim. "What's the matter?" she asked, her smile  
  
fading away. Could there be some catch? Was this really too good to be true?  
  
Inuyasha didn't respond so Shippo spoke up. "Kagome... we never could get through the well, we've   
  
been waiting since you were sucked into the well to see you again..." Shippo said softly. Kagome's eyes  
  
widened in shock. It was only then, when she took a good look at Shippo did she realize how much he had grown  
  
from the little boy she had known. He looked like he was about thirteen by human standards. He was very short,   
  
nor more than four and a inch, probably less. He was skinny as well, and the modern clothes he was wearing  
  
seemed too baggy for his physique. Quite simply, he was scrawny, though it was probably perfect for Kitsunes.  
  
His hair was cut short, whether it was his preference or so Inuyasha wouldn't be able to grab hold of it she   
  
didn't know. Kagome then turned her attention to Inuyasha, who didn't appear any different than he had in the  
  
past. She would ponder the reason for that later, because at the moment she had something more important to  
  
ask him.  
  
"You mean you've been here the whole time?" she asked softly. Inuyasha nodded and opened his mouth to   
  
speak. He didn't get a word out before Kagome was overcome by a second great urge, to beat the life out of him.  
  
The sound of her hand connecting to his face was magnified by the small space they were in. So surprised by the  
  
slap we Inuyasha that he fell backwards sporting an angry red hand print on his face, equal to the color of   
  
Kagome's hand that was stinging greatly from the strength of the blow. Kagome ignored the pain in her hand as  
  
she stood up. Shippo backed down the halls nervously, not eager to suffer the same fate Inuyasha was about   
  
to receive. Tears began to flow down her cheeks, but they weren't tears of happiness this time.   
  
"Why did you wait three weeks! I thought I would never see you again, I had given up hope! Couldn't you  
  
see that! You could have come any time you wanted but you waited you jerk!" Kagome shouted angrily. Inuyasha   
  
was on his feet in an instant, as angry as she was. "Stupid! We had to be sure this was the right time! And you  
  
are whining about three weeks!? I've waited five hundred damn years you stupid wench!" Inuyasha could have   
  
probably stopped there and gotten off scot free even with the insults, but sadly five hundred years hadn't   
  
improved his common sense. With a snort Inuyasha turned and crossed his arms. "Besides, maybe we wanted to see   
  
if you would forget about us."  
  
All of the three's eyes opened. Inuyasha's when he realized what he had just said, even though he hadn't  
  
meant it, Shippo's when he realized he was going to have to clean blood off the walls after this was over, and  
  
Kagome's from deep hurt. It was a very painful set of words to Kagome, and so she retaliated the only way she  
  
could. "SIT!" she shouted. The room grew silent afterwards, noone even breathed. And then, after a moment, the  
  
long unused rosary around Inuyasha's neck began to gull dully, then brighter, and brighter still. Brighter than  
  
it had ever glowed before. "Oh-" was all he got out before he was slammed to the ground. The entire house shook   
  
from the impact and in the distance Kagome heard the sound of glass breaking, probably from the kitchen. Inuyasha  
  
didn't move or struggle from his current position on the floor (which was unfortunately for Inuyasha made of   
  
granite), even after the spell had dissipated. Kagome stared worriedly wondering if she might have overdone it  
  
by sitting him, even if he had said something very hurtful. Shippo gulped and moved a little closer towards the   
  
edge of the hallway.  
  
And then the silence was broken, not by cursing or yelling, but by a soft chuckle, coming from Inuyasha  
  
himself. The chuckle became full laughter as he pulled himself off the ground and sat on his legs. Kagome moved  
  
closer to Inuyasha and kneeled down, more worried than ever, as she wondered if she might have damaged something  
  
within the confines of Inuyasha's skull. "Inuyasha?" Kagome called staring at him. She let out a small cry of   
  
surprise as she felt the laughing hanyou's arms wrap around her and pull her into a hug. "You have no idea how  
  
many time's I have wished to hear you say that again." he murmured, his laughter dieing down. Kagome shifted, a  
  
little embarrassed, in his hold. He had only hugged once before, and that had been a hug of farewell, not to   
  
mention an attempt to get the shards. But this time it was different, it was a hug full of warmth and affection,  
  
something she was not accustomed to have coming from Inuyasha, especially in front of others.   
  
Blushing slightly, Kagome decided to make the best of it before Inuyasha's brain came to its senses.  
  
She gingerly let her arms encircle him, returning the embrace, and wiped her face on his shoulder. She could have  
  
stayed like this for eternity, and then a little longer still, but she heard a little cough coming from her right.  
  
She turned her head to see Shippo shifting uncomfortably a few feet away. Kagome smiled. 'He wants a hug too.'   
  
she thought removing one of her arms from Inuyasha and beckoning Shippo to join the embrace. Shippo waved his hands  
  
nervously, seeing the death glare coming from Inuyasha. "No its not that, its just.. well... You were covered in  
  
ice cream when you came in and..." Shippo let the sentence die off. Kagome and Inuyasha looked down to see that   
  
now both of them were enjoying the sticky substance all over them. Kagome blushed when she saw just how much of  
  
Inuyasha's kimono had encountered the ice cream, they had been pressed together closer than she had thought.  
  
Kagome pulled out completely of the embrace and stood up feeling a bit awkward. Inuyasha grudgingly got  
  
up as well, glaring at Shippo from the corner of his eye. It was lucky for Shippo that Inuyasha was still in a  
  
better mood than he had been in five hundred years and dirty looks were all he got, for the moment. "You can take  
  
a bath here Kagome, Inuyasha bought some clothes for you a while a ago, I think he was blindfolded when he did it."  
  
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!?" Inuyasha asked defensively, raising a fist threatenly. Shippo ignored him.  
  
"Anyways, you can wear those and we'll wash the ones you are wearing." he continued. Kagome glanced down at her  
  
self, pulling at a bit of her blouse, which was clinging annoyingly to her body.  
  
"Ok, a bath sounds good right now." She agreed, it would give a few minutes to think as well, which she   
  
really needed about now. The whole reality of this wonderful situation hadn't totally sunk in. "Where should I go?"  
  
Shippo pointed to behind and left of himself and opened his mouth to speak. "Upstairs!" Inuyasha suddenly said   
  
sharply. Kagome turned questionly to Inuyasha, who turned away and crossed his arms. "The clothes are up there,   
  
and there's more privacy." he muttered lamely in explanation. "Oh, alright.." Kagome said wondering just what she  
  
was missing, especially because of the warning looks Shippo was giving Inuyasha, who ignored him completely.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
Well, I couldn't find a good ending sentence, oh well. I hope you are still enjoying the fic. I'll try and write  
  
more often, but I make no promises. Especially until the end of october. Chapter 4 is going to give you all a   
  
little more insight on Inuyasha's past so be ready! It's also the first chapter that will start to show why I   
  
made this pg-13 and not PG. 


	4. Across Time Part 4

Across Time part 4  
  
Hello everyone. I don't really have an excuse for not posting last week other than my largest amount of  
  
free time I had last week was spent talking to someone. I wouldn't be too upset with that someone   
  
because if it wasn't for her, you wouldn't even be reading this :P  
  
-moon-neko-princess- Actually these chapters are longer than the earlier chapters of TFAC. You're just  
  
spoiled on the later chapters and besides I'm not getting as many reviews ;) Have fun at Anime con and  
  
the transformation thing was just Shippo's kitsune magic. No secret or anything.  
  
-Shadow Wraith- All of that is going to be answered, but not in this chapter I'm afraid. You'll have to  
  
wait a few.  
  
-lilemmy- All of that is answered later in the fic. You can guess some of it by little hints in the   
  
chapters though.  
  
-lizziebordon- The transformation is Kitsune magic, hence the leaf.  
  
-Admiral Biatch- _ _ Actually its not because of the violence. Its for mature content that was only  
  
brushed on in TFAC.  
  
-Choco- Its coming, just not this chapter.  
  
-junyortrakr- That will be answered soon.  
  
-inuficcrzy- A few more chapters till Miroku and Sango's tale is told.  
  
-Stardust423- Leaves are part of Kitsune magic.  
  
-jazmam45- The house thing will be explained later, among other things.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
Kagome followed Inuyasha as he led the way upstairs. Shippo, for one reason or another, announced   
  
he'd stay downstairs and wait before heading off to parts unknown in the house. Kagome stood on the small  
  
wooden balcony overlooking the hallway below as Inuyasha unlocked, which Kagome noticed he really did open  
  
by sticking the tip of his finger inside the lock and using his claw, the door and let her in, his face   
  
hiding any hint of an explanation about what had happened moments ago below. Kagome walked inside and   
  
looked around. It seemed the whole upstairs was a bedroom. To the far right was a hallway that led farther   
  
towards the front of the house, no doubt where the the previously offered bathroom was.  
  
"Who's room is this?" Kagome asked as Inuyasha moved to her side, watching her. "Mine." he replied,  
  
diverting his gaze when she glanced towards him, only to continue his staring when she looked away. It   
  
certainly wasn't what Kagome would have envisioned Inuyasha's room looking like. All of the walls were   
  
wallpapered or painted, she wasn't certain, to resemble a forest, complete with an animal here and there. The  
  
floor was covered in a rug that was colored different colors of brown and the back wall was lined with two   
  
large windows that spanned most of the wall. In between them was a double glass door with a balcony beyond that  
  
overlooked a backyard much similar to the front.  
  
This Kagome could understand, considering Inuyasha had lived in and preferred the outdoors. What she   
  
wouldn't have expected in his room was the gigantic bed that dominated the left side of it It was easily wide  
  
enough to fit five or six people comfortably, lengthwise as well. It was covered in a bed sheet that was white  
  
and seemed to glitter depending how she looked at it. It looked extremely comfortable, far more so than her   
  
own, and Kagome felt the urge to go lay on it, just to see if it was as pleasant to rest on as it was to look  
  
at. It was perfectly made with not a single wrinkle on the entire thing, and all of the pillows on headrest   
  
seemed to be identically fluffed. Above the headrest the sheathed Tetsusaiga was hung.  
  
Kagome moved her eyes of the enticing bed and continued her quick inspection. Beside her, Inuyasha   
  
didn't seem in any rush for her to hurry and bathe, an oddity for him. The rest of the room was sparsely   
  
decorated. There was a closet to the left of the bed and on the far right of the room was a large brown   
  
clothing dresser with an oval vanity mirror on top. There were various knick-knacks on the top of the dresser,  
  
all of seemed like they had never been touched, the fact that there was a layer of dust covering them   
  
contributed to this notion. In fact, besides the bed everything in the room seemed to have dust on it from  
  
lack of use, even the door knobs behind her. The fact that it was such a... normal, if big, room was what  
  
made it not seem like a place where Inuyasha, or anyone with a shred of personality for that matter, would   
  
take up residence. It was almost like a hotel room, decorated but not decorated to an individual's style.   
  
There wasn't a punching bag or a large collection of weapons or anything of the violent sort besides the   
  
Tetsusaiga. To Kagome it looked more like a display to accentuate the bed than an actual place someone might  
  
live.  
  
Finished with her inspection, Kagome turned back to Inuyasha and nearly bumped into him in the process.  
  
Inuyasha, who had moved closer to her almost subconsciously, stepped back hastily then moved towards the  
  
dresser. "The bathrooms in there, use whatever you want. I'll leave the clothes on the bed." he said with his  
  
back turned to her and gesturing towards the hallway that Kagome had previously spotted. Kagome watched him   
  
for a moment, wondering about his slightly stranger than normal behavior before dismissing it. After all, he had  
  
lived for five hundred years while she had aged only three weeks. In fact, it was probably unusual that he   
  
seemed exactly like she remembered him, with a strange action or two.  
  
"All right, thank you." Kagome glanced at the back of Inuyasha's kimono, remembering the offending ice   
  
cream that was still on the front. "What about you? Aren't you going to clean up?" she asked as she made her way  
  
towards the hallway. Kagome heard a drawer open and the rustling of clothing as she turned to her right and   
  
stepped onto the marble floor of the hallway. "Downstairs." He replied, glancing at her once her back was   
  
turned. Kagome made her way down the short hall, which turned sharply to the left. In the continuing hallway,   
  
there was a dusty sink and a mirror next to a window, which like all the others was covered by closed blinds.   
  
There was also an old fashion laundry shoot conveniently placed on the other wall, in which Kagome would deposit  
  
her dirty clothing after she had bathed. The hall opened up after a sliding door into the bathroom.   
  
Like everything she had seen in the house so far, it was spacious. There was both a shower, surrounded  
  
by translucent glass, and a large bathtub, complete with a whirlpool setting judging by it. Kagome ran her   
  
finger over the bathtub/hot tub and looked at it with an amused smile. The amount of dust that covered it made her   
  
wonder if Inuyasha had ever changed his bathing habits in the past five centuries.   
  
***************************************************************************************************************  
  
Kagome hummed softly, feeling much better being free from the sugary substance, as she made her way clad in  
  
a brown towel out of the hall and across the room to the glittering bed. The door to downstairs was open, but  
  
she paid it no mind as she passed. As she had already dried off in the other room, Kagome removed her towel when she  
  
reached the bed. She inspected the clothing laid out for her on the bed and had to agree with Shippo, it seemed   
  
Inuyasha's fashion sense was a bit out of date, if the clothing he had picked for her had ever been in style at all..  
  
With a shrug she tossed her now unused towel over her shoulder and began to dress. She was willing to forgive him  
  
for the crime of being color bind and possessing no fashion sense, after all they were still better than walking   
  
around in a towel, though she wasn't sure how she felt about the fact that the bra Inuyasha had picked out was   
  
two sizes larger than what she normally wore...  
  
Kagome straightened her new clothing out as she turned to pick up her discarded towel. Her towel, however,  
  
was not there. She glanced around the room a bit perplexed. "I could have sworn that's where I tossed it.." she said  
  
to herself. 'I guess Inuyasha will find it.' Kagome decided as her gaze ended up back on the bed, which seemed to  
  
sparkle in invitation. Kagome again felt the urge to lay down, just for a moment. It was almost if the bed was   
  
made so she could do just that and was calling to her to fulfill its purpose. She glanced at the wrinkles that her   
  
dressing had caused already as she hmmmmed in indecision. 'I guess it couldn't hurt, just for a second.' she decided.  
  
******************************************************************************************************************  
  
Meanwhile, just outside of the room, pressed against the wall of the balcony connected to the stairs, inches  
  
away from the entrance to the bedroom, was Inuyasha clutching a fuzzy brown towel as he panted heavily. He   
  
mentally called himself every curse word possible, and added several pages to the dictionary of curses as well.  
  
'What the hell was I doing!? I shouldn't have let her in there!' He thought gripping the towel tighter. Even as he  
  
thought those words he knew the truth. He had known exactly what he had been doing from the start, choosing instead   
  
to stay in denial. It was true Inuyasha hadn't aged physically in the past 500 years, but his instinctive time table  
  
hadn't slowed at all. Inuyasha had known it was coming, though he had hoped that Kagome's time wouldn't be far in  
  
the future. Unfortunately, five hundred years was just a bit after the point in his life where it was time to hunt  
  
for a mate, that point being somewhere in the early 1600s. At first it hadn't been so bad, he found a secluded cave   
  
for his den which he kept clear of other inhabitants and made a 'nest' out of the best animal pelts he could find,   
  
having an attractive nest to please potential mates was the most prominent urge at the time, and when spring came   
  
around he'd keep his distance from female youkai.  
  
This system worked well for a while, and when humans began to expand he had built a cottage on the edge of  
  
the rapidly growing Edo, though he rarely visited. But Edo wasn't growing or advancing fast enough to fit what   
  
Inuyasha remembered of Kagome's time and Inuyasha's situation got worse. The urge to have a mate soon changed to an   
  
actual need, one that became more and more painful to bear over time, and his only relief was on the New Moons, where  
  
the need was much weaker. And bear it he did for many decades, to the point of insanity. At that point, where even   
  
rocks were looking like acceptable mates, Inuyasha took the only path open to him that would leave him still eligible   
  
when his journey across time was finally over, he convinced his youkai half that Kagome was his mate.  
  
Instead of the relief he had expected to get from this decision, it did just the opposite. His instincts   
  
weren't so easily placated, his need was no longer for anyone, but for a specific someone, someone who didn't   
  
even exist yet. Proof that she was his mate, or at least willing to was needed. He needed to be able to touch  
  
her, smell her, and eventually mate with her, none of which were possible in the mid 1800s. His decision did let  
  
him exist normally for the most part though, except during springs. Springs had always been the worst time and now  
  
was no exception. His instincts weren't playing around anymore, he needed relief, and if his supposed mate wasn't  
  
going to appear, then another mate would be found. He literally had to lock himself away, far away from anything  
  
remotely female. It was there he did something that he was far from proud of but it had been the only way, he   
  
pleasured himself and fantasized about Kagome.   
  
In the next century and a half Inuyasha was fairly sure that he had covered all possible, and most of  
  
the impossible, scenarios to make love to someone at least once. It had made the pain lessen and strengthen at  
  
the same time, but it had kept him sane. When the 1960's came around Inuyasha was overwhelmingly relieved that  
  
Kagome would finally be in his life again, in more way than one by spring preferably. The thought that she might  
  
reject him after his long wait had become almost foreign to him. Despite all of this, walking in on her naked   
  
wasn't exactly what he had planned. In fact the reason he had come up in the first place was to invite her to   
  
go out to breakfast with him the next morning. How he would court her when he finally found her again had been  
  
one of his major pastimes over the years. As the world around him had evolved so had his plans. They were extreme  
  
in their detail, five hundred years does that, all the way down to what he would order at a restraunt and how  
  
big of a tip he'd leave for the waiter.  
  
But those plans had flown out the widow when he had walked through the open doorway and any thought of   
  
breakfast had vanished the moment he had caught sight of her beautiful form. Years of suppressed and diverted needs  
  
had rushed forward to be heard and the last thing he remembered thinking before he had silently stalked towards her   
  
was that his imagination had been far below par all these years. Inuyasha didn't even want to think of what he  
  
would have done if that towel hadn't collided with his face and knocked some sense into him, which he had used to   
  
beat a hasty retreat.  
  
His breathing had returned to normal and Inuyasha was about to make his way to the safety of downstairs   
  
when he heard something that made his eyes widen in horror and desire. The sound of a body laying down on a   
  
certain sparkly 'nest' in his 'den'. Inuyasha's hands, which were pressed against the wall he was against, one  
  
still holding the blanket, started to press a lot harder. The plaster cracked and spider webbed out from the points  
  
of pressure. Kagome had just done something far more seductive than simple nudity. In all youkai standards by   
  
laying on that bed she had just accepted the offer to mate that it was made for. If this had happened 400 years  
  
ago Inuyasha would have been able to resist, but it had been too long and all he could do was mentally protest   
  
that she didn't understand as he dropped the towel and slid into the room, a soft growl rumbling from his throat,  
  
though it was too low for Kagome to hear.  
  
He made his way towards the bed, which Kagome was laying comfortably face down on, which was fine by the  
  
the instincts that were now temporarily in control of Inuyasha's body. Kagome was unknowingly saved from what  
  
would obviously have occurred next by a rabid flying 13 year old looking Kitsune, who landed on Inuyasha's back and  
  
sunk his still pointy teeth into an unsuspecting ear. Inuyasha clenched his teeth, but a soft yip still made it  
  
through. Kagome turned her head to see the source of the noise and then hastily got up, looking a bit embarrassed.  
  
"I'm sorry Inuyasha, it was just so comfortable looking, I'll fix it." Kagome said, not noticing Shippo's assault  
  
on his person, as she grabbed the nearest edge of the bedspread and straightened it out.  
  
Inuyasha, who had regained control thanks to Shippo, who was still gnawing off his ear just in case,   
  
simply gave a weak keh. It didn't take Kagome long to return the bed to its previous perfection, the bedspread   
  
nearly seemed to magically fix itself, and she turned to face Inuyasha. Satisfied that it was safe, Shippo finally   
  
released Inuyasha's abused ear right before Kagome turned. "All done." she said with a cheerful smile. Shippo   
  
grinned from his position on Inuyasha, who simply folded his arms and turned away, eager to get her out of there  
  
as soon as possible. "Lets go downstairs." Shippo suggested, hopping off Inuyasha. Kagome nodded and started to   
  
walk towards the door, but stopped when she passed Inuyasha. She glanced at his kimono in confusion. "Inuyasha  
  
where did the ice cream go?"   
  
Inuyasha glanced down at himself. "I cleaned it off." he replied. "But how? You were covered in it."   
  
Kagome prodded. It had simply been to short of a time for it to go through a washer and dryer. Inuyasha simply gave   
  
her a fanged smirk and Shippo sighed. "Don't ask, I'm not even sure how he does it." Kagome smiled and nodded   
  
before heading out the door and down the stairs. The two waited for several moments until she was out of sight and  
  
hearing range, for a human. Then, Inuyasha gave the boy a whack, though gentler than usual. "I could have stopped  
  
myself." Inuyasha grumbled as he made his way out. Shippo rubbed his head and rolled his eyes. "Sure Inuyasha.   
  
Whatever you say." he said as he followed, picking up the discarded towel before making his way down the stairs.   
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
There you guys go. Not my favorite chapter but oh well. 


	5. Across Time Part 5

Across Time part 5  
  
Hello all, I had free time this week. No school today (Monday) becuase of deer hunting season. *shrugs*  
  
Weird time for a no school day but I'm not complaining.  
  
-Ghoul King- I didn't forget, I just had nothing to reply to. And btw I'm a guy -_-. :P  
  
-Shadow Wraith- I'm getting to that, just a little longer.  
  
-I am Sango- Lol didn't you read the story? They've been careful not to, which is why they waited three  
  
weeks.  
  
-The Authoress L- Nearly forgot about Myouga, but he's covered.  
  
-moon-neko-princess- No Inuyasha didn't have sex, that was kinda emphasized in the last chapter. No the   
  
story isn't already written down and even if it was completely done and sitting beside me I wouldn't put  
  
previews of the next chapters, they're too short.  
  
-Admiral Biatch- Nope its all fanfiction.net. I write this in single space with spaces between the   
  
paragraphs.  
  
-fuma-the-dragon-of-earth- Perhaps, but don't expect too much. Its just not something I'm terribly good  
  
at putting into words.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
"WHHAAATT?!!" Came Inuyasha's voice, filling the house and the area around. In nearby yards dogs   
  
barked and howled in response. Kagome, for her part, simply sighed. She should have known that this was  
  
coming. Inuyasha seethed from his place at the small, short table where they were now sitting at on the  
  
floor and even Shippo looked a bit upset as she announced that she was leaving. "You just got here though   
  
Kagome. Couldn't you stay for a little longer?" Shippo replied, a bit more calmly than Inuyasha's response  
  
Kagome smiled and shook her head. "I'm sorry Shippo, I know I've only been here for an hour, but it's   
  
getting dark and I don't want my mother to worry when I don't come home before night. I think I've worried  
  
her enough recently."  
  
  
  
Shippo was placated by this, but Inuyasha, however, was not so. "You can call and tell her where  
  
you are then." he said, struggling to keep his voice even, but not as hard as he could have. It wasn't   
  
just his conscious mind that was rebelling against the idea of her leaving after so long of a wait, in  
  
fact compared to the rage of his more primal mind it was like a breeze in a hurricane. Finally, after   
  
all this time his 'mate' had finally appeared and had even gone willingly where no female had gone, had  
  
been allowed to go, she was going to leave?  
  
"And tell her what Inuyasha? That you appeared out of nowhere and I'm at your house? That would  
  
worry her more than coming back after dark." Kagome replied, feeling her temper beginning to flare. Shippo  
  
gulped and got up from his spot on the floor to the left of Kagome, sensing impeding doom to anyone who  
  
got in the way. "I'll go see if your clothes are done." Shippo said beating a retreat through the kitchen,  
  
which was open to the rest of the spacious living room where they had been seated, and into the laundry   
  
room beyond. Neither of the others made any sign of noticing his departure.  
  
  
  
"You could say you're at a friends then!" "I'm not going to lie to my mother after what I've put   
  
her through!" The argueing went on for several minutes, ending with a triumphant Kagome and a pouting   
  
Inuyasha. Shippo finally deemed it safe enough to re-enter the room carrying a stack of clothing. "Well   
  
I'm going to walk with you then." Inuyasha grumbled. Kagome was about to agree when Shippo gave a snort.   
  
Both Kagome and Inuyasha turned to Shippo, who set the clothing on the table. "You know you can't do that   
  
Inuyasha, it was stupid enough what you did today."   
  
"What do you mean Shippo?" Kagome asked, curious at just what he meant. Inuyasha shot the boy a  
  
withering glare that told him to say no more, but Shippo simply smirked and turned to Kagome. "Becuase   
  
he's Inuyasha, king of the dogs." Inuyasha reached out to whack the kitsune. "I told you not to ever call  
  
me that!" he growled as he swung. Shippo nimbly leapt out of the way and stuck out his tounge. Inuyasha   
  
halfway on his feet when Kagome reached out and touched his arm, stopping him cold. Inuyasha, of course,   
  
still wanted to strangle the kitsune, but for more than one reason couldn't bear to end the contact  
  
between them that Kagome had initiated, and so he sat back down grumpily. The look of surprise on   
  
Shippo's face was almost as rewarding as smashing in his skull, almost.   
  
"I don't understand what you mean." Kagome said stilfling a giggle at the... interesting nick name  
  
with one hand while taking full advantage of the fact that Inuyasha did not try to remove her other one to   
  
let it linger on his arm for a bit longer before pulling away, almost as surprised as Shippo that Inuyasha  
  
had been so easily diverted from his attack on Shippo. Inuyasha muttered something inaudable, forcing   
  
Kagome to turn to Shippo for an explanation. Shippo took great glee in explaining. "Dogs are attracted to   
  
him, they follow him around and will bark and howl when they can't, I don't know why they picked such a   
  
stupid king though." One of Inuyasha's eyebrows twitched as he glared once again at Shippo. "I told you to   
  
stop calling me that twirp." he growled warningly. Shippo gave a mock bow. "Yes Lord Inuyasha."   
  
Fist met skull faster than Kagome could blink and before Kagome could even think about scolding   
  
Inuyasha, he was sitting back beside her smirking. "Well if I can't walk her home I'll drive her then."  
  
Shippo, who was rubbing a nice bump on his skull, didn't look too happy about Inuyasha's statement but said  
  
nothing. Kagome blinked. "You have a car?" she asked. That was a bit surprising, most families, whether   
  
they could afford them or not, did not have a car in Tokyo. It was simply more trouble than it was worth  
  
and many found that one could walk through Tokyo faster than drive through it. Those who did usually   
  
used it only for trips into more rural areas and kept stored it somewhere safe until it was needed.  
  
"Yeah, its parked between the wall and our neighbor's yard. It's actually their property its on but   
  
they don't care since they are never around anyways, they have another house somewhere else where the dogs  
  
don't bark so much." Shippo said, giving Inuyasha a teasing glance at the last part. "You came from the other  
  
way so you didn't see it." He added, answering Kagome's next question. "That sounds like a good idea, do you  
  
want to come too Shippo?" Kagome asked. 'As if he'd let me.' Thought Shippo as he shook his head. "I think I  
  
will stay here this time." Shippo replied. "Well, I'll change back into my clothes then and we can go then."  
  
Kagome noticed a faintly dissapointed look on Inuyasha's face as she mentioned changing back into her uniform,  
  
though he hid it quickly.  
  
Kagome favored him with a smile. "It's not that I don't like them Inuyasha, it would just be a little   
  
hard explaining where I got a brand new set of clothing. I'll change into them if you like when I come back   
  
tommorow after school, they are a lot more comfortable than my uniform anyways." That much was true atleast,  
  
even if they were a bit loose in one specific area. Inuyasha's eye's widened a bit at her statement. In all   
  
of his years of planning, it had never occured to him that she would be going to school while he courted her.  
  
Carfully planned picnics and rendezvous' started to crumble in his mind at this revelation. "What! You're  
  
going to SCHOOL!!?" Shippo sighed, picked up the stack of clothing he had set down, and headed back towards  
  
the laundry room. He might as well iron them while he waited....  
  
***********************************************************************************************************  
  
It was some time before Kagome and Inuyasha exited the house, Kagome once again clothed in her now  
  
clean and wrinkleless school uniform. Once again Inuyasha was less than satisfied by the outcome, but this  
  
time Kagome was not so triumphant, having seriously considered agreeing to come back in the morning. In  
  
the end, however, she had finally fallen back on her philosphy she had long ago told Shippo. It was good to  
  
make him suffer a little bit, especially when he was making such a big deal out of it. Inuyasha made his way  
  
once again in his human illusion form out the gate and around the corner, with Kagome beside him. Inuyasha  
  
looked just about the same as when she had met him earlier this day, but there were slight differences that  
  
were not due to the fading sunlight.   
  
Shippo had explained that this was due to the fact that Kagome had more or less annihilated the   
  
enchanted leaf that Inuyasha had been previously been using in her shock. Luckily they had others, but kitsune  
  
spells were never identical, almost like an artist's work could never truly be recreated again. The differences,  
  
other than his suit had a different tie and was a different shade of blue, were unnoticible unless inspected   
  
thouroughly at best and could easily be dismissed by others as nothing more than the results of everyday life.   
  
Kagome pushed her thoughts away as she inspected the impressive vehicle in front of her as she turned  
  
the corner. It was a blue 2004 Nissan Roadster (with convertible top, which was currently up). Kagome wasn't   
  
exactly the most car crazy person around, but she could tell this was a top of the line vehicle. Kagome didn't  
  
spend much time inspecting the car, she really did need to get home soon afer all, and so she made her way to  
  
the passenger's side and slide into the front seat. Inuyasha got in as well, and judging by the fact that he  
  
had to readjust the seat and mirrors, as well as search for a bit to find the power button to turn of the   
  
painfully loud music that had begun blaring when he turned the car on, someone other than Inuyasha used this   
  
vehicle, if Inuyasha ever had used it before.  
  
Inuyasha flicked on the headlights and pulled out of the driveway, thankful that the barking that had   
  
greeted him as he had exited the walls of his home was drowned out by the soft hum of the engine. They sat in  
  
companionable silence as Inuyasha drove out of the unfamiliar road and onto the main one for this part of the  
  
city. Traffic was very light, yet it still took a surprising amount of time for the Roadster to pull up at the  
  
steps of the shrine, do to the fact, Kagome noted, that Inuyasha was driving atleast ten miles belown the   
  
speed limit (to the annoyance of other drivers). She wondered if Inuyasha always drove like an old lady or if  
  
he simply did not want to say goodbye. She decided to take the more heartwarming second option as Inuyasha   
  
shifted the car into park.   
  
Inuyasha turned to her and broke the silence. "You'll come back right after school?" He prodded. Kagome  
  
smiled and nodded, remembering having this conversation more than once in the Warring States Period. "As soon  
  
as the last bell rings I'll come." The two of them gazed at eachother for a moment in silence. "Well, goodnight  
  
then." Kagome's mouth twitched upward into a smile. "Lord Inuyasha." There gazes met and time seemed to slow   
  
down at the moment. Kagome felt as if she was being magneticalyl drawn to Inuyasha. Inuyasha also seemed to   
  
be 'suffering' from the same thing as he leaned closer to her, tilting his head slightly with an obvious intent.  
  
More than half of the distance had been closed when suddenly and unexpectantly Kagome snapped out of   
  
her almost trance like state. Her cheeks flushed red as she pulled away and fumbled with the door.  
  
"G-Goodnight" she stammered as she exited the car and quickly hurried towards the steps and climbed them,  
  
turning back to look at him and wave on her way up. Inuyasha watched her silently as she climbed, tracking her  
  
with his eyes. When she had disappeard from view he continued to stare at the place she had last been, half   
  
hoping she might come back, that she had forgotten something and would return to finish what they had begun,  
  
but she didn't come back. Inuyasha's somewhat stunned expression turned dark and angry.   
  
He clenched his fist, growled in frustration, and brought his fist down hard on the steering wheel.  
  
Part of the grip (what you hopefully hold on to when you drive, I don't have any other word for it..) snapped  
  
from the force and fell to the floor with a heavy thump. Inuyasha glared down at the broken piece. Shippo was  
  
definately not going to be happy about that...  
  
Good.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
There you go, I hope you are still loving this story. I liked this chapter, though I think the end could have  
  
been better done. And just so you know the next chapters are probably going to be pretty short. Sorry but it   
  
can't be helped. I can only be so long winded :P. 


	6. Across Time Part 6

Across Time part 6  
  
Its been a while since I wrote some more AT. Sorry all, actually I had a chapter last week, but the  
  
problem is that I had to leave before I could update. I just got back from a trip. Here it is.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-fuma-the-dragon-of-earth- Of all the things I'm going to change I'm afraid that is probably not going  
  
to be one of them. Guys are different I guess, we don't particularly go into detail about kissing. Use  
  
your imagination ;).  
  
-Airen2- The grip is the outer ring of the steering wheel. And no Inuyasha won't be enrolled in school  
  
like TFAC. I have other ideas :D  
  
-Admiral Biatch- I'm not sure I understand what you think is a bit off. Could you be more specific?  
  
-The Authoress L - Ehehe you should have realized from TFAC I won't be so swift in the kissing   
  
department :D  
  
-Inuyasha's-Princess12- A really good one is 2004 Dorei Youkai Tokyo by Midoriko-sama. Tell her Wedge  
  
sent you.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
Kagome softly hummed to herself as she exited from her last class of the day. Behind Kagome,   
  
her three confused and almost completely ignored friends followed. Eri leaned in towards Yuka, who   
  
walked in between. "Did you manage to talk to her during class?" she asked in a hushed whisper. Yuka   
  
shook her head. "I couldn't get a word out of her. She was doodling something on her notebook all   
  
hour." Ayumi shrugged. "It's better than her half crying all hour though, isn't it?" she asked, holding  
  
a pencil in her mouth. The other two girls nodded in agreement. "Did something happen between her and   
  
Hojo I wonder? Do you think they got back together?" asked Yuka, scratching her head as all four girls  
  
turned to the right down the hallway.  
  
Eri shifted her bag to the other hand. "I doubt it, Hojo is off on a college trip to Osaka to  
  
study city planning (If you know anything about Osaka you'll get the joke) all of this week. He won't be  
  
back till Monday. I guess he could have called her though." Ahead of them Kagome, who had picked up the  
  
pace slightly, exited one of the open main doors of the school. Ayumi turned towards Yuka, still chewing  
  
on the eraser of her pencil. "Let's just ask her. We'll have plenty of time on the walk home." Yuka   
  
glanced at the girl. "Door Ayumi." Ayumi raised her eyebrow and took the pencil out of her mouth. "Door?  
  
What do you mean-" Ayumi ended her sentence abruptly as she collided with a closed glass door. The other  
  
two girls sighed as they passed through two of the less solid portals to the outside.  
  
A few seconds later Ayumi, who was rubbing a red mark on her cheek, joined her two companions  
  
outside. Both were looking around the school grounds, perplexed. "Now where did Kagome run off to?"   
  
murmured Eri.  
  
*******************************************************************************************************  
  
It had been the first day in weeks that Kagome had gotten out of bed. Sure she had drug herself  
  
out to go to school out of necessity and sometimes she had been helped out by a sympathetic family member,  
  
usually her mother. And of course many times she hadn't even bothered to get out, having not the will to  
  
face the day. But today, Kagome GOT out of bed. Life had meaning once again it seemed. Needless to say   
  
her family, who hadn't seen her change in mood last night as she had gone to bed early (not an uncommon   
  
occurrence the last few weeks) so that tomorrow would come sooner and she would be fully aware to face it,  
  
had been more than a little shocked at her sudden mood swing. Even Buyo seemed to sense the change as   
  
Kagome, carrying her school bag, came down for breakfast with her hair meticulously brushed into place   
  
and sporting a smile not forced for the sake of her family.  
  
"Good morning!" Kagome said cheerfully to her bewildered family. Silence was her reply as her  
  
family stared at Kagome, who didn't notice. Mrs. Higurashi was the first to recover. "Ah.. Good morning  
  
sweetheart... Ready for breakfast?" Mrs. H. asked, smiling slightly. Kagome beamed at her mother and shook  
  
her head. "Not today, I'll be late for school if I don't go now." she said as she made her way passed her  
  
staring brother and grandfather (and cat) towards the main door. Her mother intercepted her half way there.  
  
"At least come into the kitchen and you can grab something to eat on the way. It's not good to go to   
  
school on an empty stomach." she insisted, not waiting for an answer as she half pushed her daughter into   
  
the kitchen.  
  
As soon as they were inside Mrs. Higurashi slid the door shut and turned to her daughter, a look  
  
of concern covering her face. "Kagome, what's wrong?" she asked in a motherly tone, placing her hands   
  
gently on Kagome's shoulders. Kagome's smile grew a little and she hugged her mother before ducking under  
  
her arms and proceeding to the kitchen counter where a tray of breakfast pastries sat cooling. "Nothing's  
  
wrong Mama, everything is great!" The young miko said as she gingerly picked up one of the pastries.   
  
Mrs. H turned and put a hand on her face. "You didn't.... do anything yesterday, did you?" Kagome's cheeks  
  
reddened slightly, knowing exactly what she meant by 'do anything'.  
  
Kagome bit into her pastry to hide her expression. Mmm apple, her favorite. It would taste a lot   
  
better if her mother wasn't looking at her the way she was. "Kagome, you know can tell me anything." her  
  
mother said softly, moving close behind her. Kagome sighed and swallowed before turning to her mother.   
  
"It's not what you think momma. I promise I'll explain when I get home. I have to go somewhere for a while  
  
first, but then I'll come back and explain everything, though it's going to sound a little unbelievable.   
  
But right now, I'm going to be late for school." Kagome gave her mother a farewell hug. Mrs. H hesitated  
  
for a moment before returning it. "All right dear, I'll see you later."   
  
A few moments later, Kagome pulled away and headed out of the kitchen with her bag and half eaten   
  
pastry. She wasn't surprised to find her brother and grandfather listening in through the door, but gave  
  
her brother a playful ruffling of the hair and her grandfather a kiss on the head as she left despite of  
  
it.  
  
When she arrived, a full thirty minutes before the bell, her friends were equally baffled at her  
  
change. They tried to pump information out of her but only got as vague an answer as Mrs. Higurashi, but  
  
with not promise to explain. Kagome wasn't in their grasp for very long, as she almost immediately excused  
  
herself to go talk to a few teachers before school. Her teachers were, of course, more than happy at her  
  
renewed interest in learning and were glad to explain as much as they could of what they had been teaching  
  
while Kagome was in her depressed funk.  
  
And so the day began. Her notes, when on occasion she had taken them, were no longer dotted with  
  
tears and Kagome actually paid attention to what the teachers talked about. At lunch she spent her time  
  
playing catch up with her teachers, with the added benefit of her friends not having a chance to drag the  
  
truth out of her during the lunch hour. The last hours of the day, however, began to get tedious as her  
  
anxiousness to see Inuyasha began to fill her mind, as well as make her all but forget the events at the  
  
shrine steps last night.  
  
By her final class Kagome had stopped even trying to listen, instead perfecting the art of   
  
doodling Inuyasha and Shippo on every surface available as the hands of the clock moved torturously slow.  
  
When at last the bell rang, Kagome practically leapt out of her seat. With a quick bow and goodbye to  
  
her math teacher, Kagome exited the class room humming a nameless tune. Her friends were right behind her  
  
talking about what seemed to be their favorite subject, her. Kagome had oftened wondered if the girls knew  
  
that she could hear every word they said or if they simply thought that Kagome was half deaf. Kagome was  
  
leaning towards the second one.   
  
Kagome laughed softly as they mentioned Hojo. 'I wonder if Inuyasha ever saw Hojo?' Kagome mused.  
  
It was something to ask him about, among other things of varying importance. Now that the initial shock  
  
of the appearance of Inuyasha and Shippo was over Kagome had quite a few things she wanted to talk about  
  
today. All the more reason to hurry up she decided, increasing her walking speed. The moment she was out   
  
of the school Kagome broke into a run, forgetting completely about her nosy friends and their questions.   
  
Kagome's pace didn't slacken until she was far from the school campus and to a part of the town   
  
that was busier, making it impossible to run without lots of called out apologies and dirty looks from   
  
other denizens of the city. She could have run the entire way to Inuyasha's home easily, running for your  
  
life all the time did that to a girl, if it hadn't been for two things. The first was of course was the  
  
numerous people and vehicles impeding her way. The second was a bit harder to solve. She hadn't exactly   
  
been paying attention to which direction she was going when she had followed Inuyasha to his home and it  
  
had been too dark to see much when he had driven her home, though again she hadn't really been paying  
  
attention anyways.  
  
It was fairly easy to find the main road, Oo-dori, after a few minutes of searching, starting at  
  
where she had gotten ice cream with her friends. Oo-dori was parallel to the road the shrine was on and   
  
intersected with the road her school was located. She had yet to find it, but Kagome would later realize  
  
that her shrine, the school, and Inuyasha's house made something of a triangle, with Inuyasha's home  
  
being nearly midway between the others.  
  
Much more time was spent, however, roaming down the street and checking the smaller roads that  
  
branched off into neighborhoods. She had lost count when she finally saw a home she recognized. Another   
  
minute of walking down the found street, called Kimomoto, and she could see the walled figure of the   
  
home she was searching for. She breathed a sigh of relief as she finally arrived at the gate. The road  
  
was completely barren of life, with the exception of the infrequent passage of a car. Now the only  
  
question was how to get inside... She didn't see a doorbell, making Kagome wonder if visitors were rare  
  
in the household of the two youkai. Around her, dogs suddenly started barking and she heard a familiar   
  
voice from behind her say a familiar phrase. "You're late."  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
There you go, more of a filler chapter than anything. But I didn't have any time. Sorry! 


	7. Across Time Part 7

Across Time part 7  
  
Merry Christmas everyone! Whether this ends my hiatus I don't know, but I'll give you this for a present.  
  
I'll explain about the city planning joke about Osaka. It is perhaps the worst developed modern city in   
  
the universe. Power lines everywhere etc.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-Warcrafter- I explained it above.  
  
-lilemmy- Think about it this way. Say your best friend had died and three weeks later you told your   
  
parents that he was still alive and you were going to meet him after school?  
  
-Eikou- You won't have to worry about a lemon in this fic. There might be some adult themes but no   
  
lemons.  
  
-Jamfase- Normally I would no problem. But I'm rather busy and not really in a mood for reading at the  
  
moment so if you would please remind me that I said I would in a few weeks.  
  
-ek- Can't say I've ever gotten that comment before. Its generally pretty easy to tell who's talking.  
  
Usually theres a "name" said at the end of speech sentances and when there isn't its pretty obvious who  
  
is talking.  
  
-Airen2- Yes well Inuyasha has never been a very logical person :P  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
If someone were to look at Inuyasha they would have thought him a statue. Indeed he had behaved  
  
much like a statue, scarcely moving from his perch in the large tree in front of him house. He was in his  
  
favorite spot at the moment. The branches were crossed in a way that allowed Inuyasha to see out over the  
  
the encircling wall while preventing others from seeing him. And far he could see from here as well. For  
  
example, some two blocks down the street a violent brunette was beathing a purse snacher half to death.  
  
The sight was only a momentary distraction at best. For the brunettes attitude reminded him somewhat of  
  
Kagome's more tempermental moments which in turn reminded him of last night.  
  
Endlessly, and very frustratingly, did his thoughts return to then, to the question 'Why had she  
  
pulled away?' Inuyasha was a bit slower to forget the event than Kagome, though his mood had improved some  
  
since last night as Kagome's return drew closer. But the less human parts of his mind were doing just the  
  
oposite in the form of a dull ache caused by Kagome's absence that was increasing in intensity and was  
  
counteracting much of the improvements to his temper. Speaking of his temper, Shippo had obviously been less  
  
than pleased at the damage done to his beloved car, but seeing the mood Inuyasha was in, Shippo was smart  
  
enough to hold his tounge about his car until later. Car, shrine, Damnit!. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and  
  
gave a frustrated growl. Why? Why had she not let him kiss her like he cursed himself to the lowest levels  
  
of hell and back again for not doing five hundred years ago? In the very edge of his consciousness a tiny  
  
voice wondered if perhaps it was becuase she did not have the feelings he had for her?  
  
Inuyasha turned to his side, one of the few movements he had made since he had taken residence up in  
  
the tree last night and had blocked out the world for the most part, as if doing such would repel the voice  
  
and mercilessly pushed such ideas out of his mind. Surely there was an explanation he was missing? But these  
  
thoughts were not new ones. Indeed they were more or less the same thoughts he had been thinking for the  
  
past 17 hours, his mind seemed to be a broken record. Broken, steering wheel, car, shrine, SHUT UP! The  
  
brunette was still at it, now repeatedly kicking the fallen man. It looked like a good way to releive some  
  
tension and Inuyasha was inclined to go over there and give the man a few good kicks of his own. Such plans  
  
were shut down as he spotted Kagome turning the corner (though coming the other way to his home and not  
  
seeing the kung fu girl of doom) and moments later her scent reached his nose.  
  
Her scent rolled over his mind, all of it, like a flood water over a smouldering fire, smothering  
  
it and washing away the remnants. For a minute he watched his mate approach, frozen in place by a mixture  
  
of relief and more primal things. Inuyasha shook his head. No, she not his mate, yet. Some parts of his  
  
mind begged to differ, after all she had lain in his den and was now returning. For the moment atleast,  
  
however, it was Inuyasha's consciousness who had control of his mind. Even with Kagome's presence, causing  
  
the urge to mate with who he had been waiting for for too long (Especially after the incident in his room),  
  
Spring was still far off and his blood's passions were dimmed.  
  
And so he resisted the urge to leap towards her and whisk her away, instead tracking her with his  
  
eyes as she made her way toward him, slowly. Very slowly it seemed. In fact could she move any slower?  
  
Inuyasha ground his teeth slightly in annoyance as Kagome continued teasing, to him atleast, him by taking  
  
her sweet time and more. It seemed more time passed watching her walk down the road than all of the hours  
  
he had been sitting in his tree, and his irritation flamed again into exsistance as eons passed. Finally,  
  
she reached the gates and then he did leap, brushing past the branches of th trees and into open air. Dogs  
  
howled as he soared above the walls and landed silently behind the unsuspecting girl. "You're late." He  
  
said testily.  
  
*********************************************************************************************************  
  
Kagome jumped slightly and her heart skipped a beat at the unsuspected comment. Kagome turned on  
  
her heel quickly to see a testy looking Inuyasha, with no magic concealing his appearances. "Inuyasha!"  
  
Kagome said, laying a hand on her chest. "Don't you think it's a little dangerous to be standing outside  
  
like that?" Kagome asked after the quick burst of adrenaline had passed. Inuyasha gave a snort but moved  
  
towards her with the intention of picking her up and jumping back over the wall. Kagome, however, mistook  
  
his intentions and stepped out of his way so he could open the locked gate.  
  
Inuyasha's scowl deepened but he said nothing and proceded past her and to the black structure.  
  
Indeed he did use his claw to open it and within moments of him sticking his claw in it clicked and  
  
creaked open slightly. Inuyasha roughly yanked it open and let Kagome pass.  
  
*********************************************************************************************************  
  
"Where is Shippo? I haven't seen him today." Kagome asked, setting her bag down beside her  
  
as Inuyasha returned from the kitchen carrying a simmering pot of tea and two cups. Kagome raised an   
  
eyebrow at the tea, slightly amused. When she had accepted Inuyasha's offer of something to drink she had  
  
been expecting something a bit more... modern such as a soda or limonade even. Even though her little run   
  
hadn't exhausted her in the least bit, she still would have prefered something colder. 'Oh well.' Kagome   
  
thought taking a sip after he had poured her a cup and handed it to her. 'It's good tea.' Very good in  
  
fact. Indeed it should be considering it had been Inuyasha's choice drink for over five hundred years.  
  
"He's at school." Inuyasha replied, sitting down crosslegged at the table and setting his cup of  
  
tea on the table, where it was ignored. Kagome smiled slightly as she thought of the not so young kitsune.  
  
"You really have been here all along." Inuyasha nodded, though it was rhetorical. Kagome smile then  
  
twitched into a sad frown. "That means Sango, Miroku, Kaede, and the others are all dead." Another nod,  
  
grim this time. "Did Miroku and Sango ever get married?" Yet another nod from the mute hanyou. Kagome's  
  
smile returned, though sadness still lingered, as she took another sip of her cooling tea. "I bet they  
  
had lots of children."  
  
Inuyasha glanced away. "No, they didn't have any." he said softly. Kagome blinked. "What?" she  
  
asked, wondering if she had heard right. How was that even possible? She wouldn't have been surprised if  
  
Inuyasha had said that Miroku's children had doubled the population of Japan, but no children? Inuyasha  
  
looked mildly uncomfortable, shifting his position slightly. "A few months after you... you left, Kaede  
  
found out that Sango was sterile. She thought it might have been becuase of the Shikon shard she had used  
  
when we first met her. That or becuase of all of the wounds she got during our fight with Naraku." Kagome  
  
gasped slightly. "That's terrible." She whispered, feeling grief welling up inside her. And she hadn't  
  
been there to comfort her either. Oh how horrible it must have been for her. And what did Miroku think?  
  
"Miroku married her a week later." Inuyasha said, as if reading her mind. "They were happy and  
  
took care of homeless children til the day they died. They both died in their sleep on the same night."  
  
Kagome sighed and looked down into her tea. "Did Sango leave anything for me? Did she tell you to say hi  
  
or write a letter?" Inuyasha's ears twitched slightly and he glanced down at the table for a moment, his  
  
eyes filled with a spark of indecesion. It past after a moment and he looked up again. "No, she didn't."  
  
Kagome nodded, still looking at her tea. "I guess she moved on. I can understand why, it's better if she  
  
did."  
  
Silence encompassed them after that and neither spoke for a time, how long Kagome wasn't sure  
  
as she had yet to see a clock in the house (quite possibly because Inuyasha and Shippo could tell time  
  
some other way), as she let her thoughts dwell on her friends from the past. Even Inuyasha was  
  
reminiscing, or maybe he really was just staring at her? Finally Kagome broke the silence as a thought  
  
struck her. "What about Kirara and Myouga? Where are they?" Inuyasha gave a little shrug. "We couldn't  
  
get her to leave their grave after we buried Miroku and Sango. We've never seen her after that. She could  
  
still be around somewhere. Myouga stayed with her. He said he was too old to travel."  
  
Kagome opened her mouth to ask another question when she heard the slamming of a car door  
  
outside. "Shippo's back." Inuyasha announced. A minute later Shippo entered the house sporting a  
  
backpack far too large for him and wearing blue jeans and a plain grey shirt. "Hi Kagome!" Shippo  
  
said cheerfully as he entered the room and dropped his bookbag on the ground where it landed with a  
  
very lound thud. "Would you like some tea Shippo?" Kagome asked as the kitsune dug through his stuffed  
  
bag and removed a large school book. "No thanks." Shippo said sitting halfway between Kagome and  
  
Inuyasha and setting the book down on the table. "I need to finish this first." he said opening the  
  
book and pulling out a stack of papers that were in it before taking a pencil out and beginning to  
  
write.  
  
Kagome watched the boy as he began scribbling away. "What are you doing Shippo?" Kagome asked,  
  
interested. "Math." the boy replied not looking up. "Really? Well math isn't my best subject but maybe  
  
I can help you." Kagome said leaning over to look at the boys work and paling. On his paper was a  
  
multitude of equations and formulas of higher mathematics that completely baffled Kagome. "Shippo  
  
what are you working on?" Kagome asked with her eyes wide. "I'm proving the pythagrian therom for  
  
class." he explained with a grin, obviously amused at Kagome's offer to help. Kagome sweat dropped as  
  
she looked at the sizable stack of papers beside him. "That isn't all one problem is it?" Kagome asked  
  
nervously. Shippo gave a mixture of a snort and a chuckle. "Of course not." he said. Kagome gave a  
  
sigh of relief at the boys words. "It's two problems."  
  
:P Sorry it took so long. MY comp died and I had to wait for a new comp then transfer my files. But  
  
this is a nice Christmas present I hope. Enjoy your vacation people and I hope you get lots of goodies! 


	8. Across Time Part 8

Across Time part 8  
  
Hello everyone, here's the next chapter. Its nice having time off to write for once. Too bad the vacation  
  
is almost up and exams are the week after next. Joy. Not to be spoiled or anything (kinda hard after TFAC  
  
though) but I'm not terribly impressed by the way review rates are decreasing. I wouldn't mind all that   
  
much if it wasn't for one thing. THERE ARE 216 PEOPLE WHO HAVE ME ON FAVORITES! How in the world can it be  
  
that only some 20 of these people are reading Across Time. I find that very very unlikely. I could, I   
  
suppose, put a goal for reviews and threaten not the update until I get that number, but I won't do that.  
  
Unless of course you people would want to. I can see how its sometimes advantageous because that way I'll  
  
have to keep my part of the bargain and update every time you reach the goal, even if it was reached in   
  
a day or two. But getting back on topic, please review. If it gets much lower I might just not bother to  
  
take the five minutes to update. If you read the first chapter you'll see that this is for my friend   
  
Claire and I post on fanfiction because I like getting feedback and having people enjoy my work, despite  
  
all of the flaws, but if I stop getting feedback I don't know if people are still enjoying it and there  
  
is not point to update anymore.. Ok enough ranting and on to the review responses.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
- radire- Hints what will happen in spring. Sure, stuff will happen ;)  
  
-lilemmy- Happy day after New year!  
  
-Amygurl- Yes I'll envy you from my BRAND SPANKING NEW PERSONAL COMPUTER WITH CORDLESS KEYBOARD AND MOUSE  
  
:P :P :P :P   
  
-inuficcrzy- Well I got my ass kicked quite a few times in the play, but I got quite a few comments of   
  
being the better of the two people playing the villain.  
  
-The Authoress L- Yes I've also had problems with the spelling, partly because there are two accepted  
  
ways to spell it. Tetsusaiga and Tessaiga. I prefer Tetsusaiga.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
"Most of it isn't from class." Shippo explained as he stared at the girl who had fallen flat on her  
  
face. "You see, I've been trying to solve Fermat's last theorem using techniques available in his time  
  
period, about 1630. I figure that way I can at least even up with Andrew Wiles." he continued as Kagome  
  
shakily got back into a sitting position, his expression turning sour at the mentioning of the mathematician.  
  
Inuyasha, who had been already amused at Kagome's reaction, snorted. "Still sore he beat you to it Shippo?"  
  
the hanyou taunted, turning his gaze back to the dumb struck Kagome after sparing a glance at the kitsune.  
  
Whether Shippo even heard the jab is unknown. "I mean, its not my fault I didn't have big shiny  
  
computers to compute the fractal equations! I was farther than he was before those Japanese scientists helped  
  
him!" ranted Shippo, raising his small arms up for emphasis. "And besides, I was the first one to see his  
  
error the first time he claimed to have proved it." he grumbled, crossing his arms and turning away. Kagome  
  
simply stared, trying to comprehend what had just been said. In the corner of her mind she vaguely remembered  
  
watching a movie about the theorem in algebra class, but even the simplified explanation in the movie had been  
  
far too complicated. And now the little boy from five hundred years ago not only understood it, but even was  
  
able to nearly figure it out himself? Very impressive.  
  
'Well I know where to come when I need help with my math homework' she thought, straightening out her  
  
uniform. "Are you as good with math as Shippo Inuyasha? I bet you've helped him with this stuff haven't you."  
  
Kagome asked. It was then Shippo's turn to snort. "Inuyasha can't even count." he said, quite calm after his  
  
little fit. Inuyasha shot a glare at the boy, who was now innocently doing homework. "Just because I haven't  
  
gone to college four times and never went to school doesn't-" "You never went to school?!" Kagome asked,  
  
cutting him off.  
  
Inuyasha was a bit taken by her question. "So? I've learned everything I need. What do I care about  
  
what makes up the earth or who fought in the Boshin War and for why? I LIVED through that war. I saw the  
  
Ishin army march into Edo. Your books are crap compared to watching it." he retorted defiantly. Shippo  
  
snickered from his part of the table and set down his pencil. Inuyasha had asked for it, he might as well  
  
have put a sit me sign around his neck. 'Inuyasha's skull could survive a black hole.' thought the boy.  
  
After all the arguements he and Kagome had had over going to school one would think he might have caught on.  
  
But to Shippo's surprise (and great disapointment) the onslaught never came. Instead Kagome just  
  
sighed and shook her head. While she might want to strangle him a bit, she could tell that no amount of  
  
arguing or violence would change his mind this day after five hundred years. 'Atleast Shippo didn't catch  
  
his bad habits.' Kagome thought, consoling herself. "Well then." Said Kagome, changing the subject. "If you  
  
never went to school then how in the world can you afford to live in this beautiful house? I can't believe  
  
you could have gotten such a high paying job without any education." she said as she let her gaze admire  
  
the portion of the pair's home that was in view. Meanwhile Inuyasha was still admiring one thing with his  
  
gaze, though Kagome had yet to realize it.  
  
After a few moments of silence Kagome snapped her fingers and smiled. "I know how!" she exclaimed.  
  
Inuyasha perked up his ears and waited for her to continue. Shippo was equally interested, though not terribly  
  
surprised that she had figured it out. After all, Kagome was his role model. "You must have invested in a  
  
company that I told you about back in the Warring States Era. And all this time I thought you hadn't been  
  
listening. Shippo sighed and went back to his work. Ok, so maybe his childhood mind had overexagerated  
  
Kagome's deductive abilities. He had only been one hundred years old after all.  
  
Inuyasha grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. "I didn't. We never needed  
  
much money until the 1900's. Then you humans started offering money to whoever could beat the hell out of  
  
your strongest men. I just did that when we needed money." Kagome simply gaped at him for a moment before  
  
smiling and shaking her head. "I should have known." she teased. Before the hanyou could ask just what that  
  
was supposed to mean Shippo spoke up. "Inuyasha's a bit of a legend in the prize fighting world. People talk  
  
about a guy who had never been heard of coming and taking on a champion boxer or wrestler that has overdosed  
  
on steroids. That's Inuyasha."  
  
Kagome let Shippo continue with, whether he knew it or not, his hero worshiping of Inuyasha, finishing  
  
her tea and accepting a refill, drinking that as well before setting aside her cup. It was quite obvious to  
  
Kagome that, despite all of their bickering she had seen, Shippo respected Inuyasha a great deal. She had a  
  
feeling that Shippo was more than a nuisance to Inuyasha as well, but had a feeling that the chances of either  
  
of them admitting any of this was quite remote. It was only when Shippo entered into a very gruesomely detailed  
  
story that Kagome felt the need to change the subject.  
  
"So tell me Shippo, have you really gone to college four times?" Kagome asked. Shippo stopped in mid  
  
sentance and blinked. "Actually five times. Once in 1810, once in the early 1900's, again in 1950, the fourth  
  
time in 1980, and I started in 2002 again. I know most of the things in the lower classes like the math class  
  
I'm taking, but its impossible to get past them without taking them like it is with elementary school. It's all  
  
right though, I don't mind all that much and its fun knowing more than some of the professors. Its good to have  
  
a refresher too." said he after a brief pause.  
  
"He just likes impressing the girls." Inuyasha said, breaking the silence that he had been in all  
  
during Shippo's worshiping. The poor boy's face flushed at Inuyasha's remark, which Kagome suspected might be  
  
atleast partially true about atleast one girl. "That's not true Inuyasha." stammered Shippo, lowering his head  
  
to prevent his face from saying otherwise. Kagome smiled. "Well I'm guessing you use a transformation like  
  
Inuyasha does when you go to college. Can I see it?" she asked. Shippo nodded vigorously, thankful for her  
  
willingness not to prod him.  
  
In little more time than it took for the boy to reach for one of his enchanted leaves and put it  
  
on top of his head, Kagome no longer say a scrawny thirteen year old but instead a scrawny college student  
  
with short dirty blonde hair and basically all of his younger version's facial characteristics but older clad  
  
in blue jeans and a black t-shirt with the golden words 'Lord of the Onion Rings' written apon it. The fact  
  
that Shippo hadn't changed himself much, especially in the size and muscle departments, was an impressive  
  
testiment of the boy's character.  
  
After allowing Kagome a few moments to scrutinize him, Shippo returned to his natural form. "You're  
  
very handsome Shippo." Kagome said in what can only be described as a motherly tone. Shippo once again  
  
blushed and muttered a thankyou. Inuyasha, however, didn't appear to like Kagome's comment too much and  
  
there was a hint of jealousy in his golden eyes that went unnoticed by Kagome. "Inuyasha, what do you do in  
  
your free time? Do you have a job?" Kagome asked, another one of her questions on a very long list. Inuyasha  
  
shook his head. "We don't need money if you haven't noticed." Kagome rolled her eyes. "I know that Inuaysha,  
  
but money isn't the only reason a person works. Some people actually enjoy their jobs. But if you don't work,  
  
then what do you do with your time?"  
  
"Nothing." replied Inuyasha though mentally his response was more along the line of 'Think about you.'  
  
Kagome frowned. "What do you mean nothing Inuyasha? You have to do something. Do you go for walks or visit  
  
friends or read?" Inuyasha shook his head again. "Inuyasha spends most of his time in the mountains. We own  
  
property up there and there's a big forest. I sure don't know what he does there. I prefer to stay in Tokyo  
  
or another city." Kagome's eyes widened slightly. "You leave Shippo here all alone?!" Kagome asked forcefully.  
  
Before the now nervous hanyou could reply Shippo came to his rescue, or maybe he was just sick and tired of  
  
being treated like a baby.  
  
"Just becuase I look thirteen doesn't mean I AM thirteen Kagome. I may not look it but I'm as strong  
  
as any human on the planet, and besides, it's not like I'm totally alone. Seshoumaru is around if I'm in  
  
trouble and its not like I couldn't get to Inuyasha if I needed him." Another surprise today, Inuyasha's  
  
somewhat homicidal brother was still alive. "Does that mean you two have finally made up Inuyasha? Does he  
  
live here too?" Inuyasha snorted, folded his arms, and generally looked like his mood had turned sour.  
  
"Hardly, they haven't spoken in four hundred years. Seshoumaru lives on the other side of Tokyo near the  
  
university. He's a professor there and the leading expert on Warring States Era history and mythology." said  
  
Shippo with a grin.  
  
"Seshoumaru's a.... teacher?" Kagome asked in horror. She pitied his students. To have to sit there  
  
for hours and listen to his monotone, emotionless voice... Kagome shuddered slightly, and she had thought her  
  
history teacher was boring. "He goes by the name of professor Taioyou and he's not as bad as you would think.  
  
He's never killed a student at least." That didn't bring Kagome a terrible amount of comfort, but the name  
  
sounded familiar. Kagome snapped of fingers. "I know him!" she exclaimed before leaning in conspiritorily.  
  
"I've heard people say that he sleeps with minors." she whispered.  
  
Shippo and Inuyasha burst out laughing at that, leaving a confused Kagome to stare. "I wonder if  
  
Seshoumaru has heard that?" Shippo asked as his laughter died down. "She might look young, but Rin is hardly  
  
a minor." "Rin? You mean that little girl that followed Seshoumaru around?" asked the young miko, raising an  
  
eyebrow in skepticism. "Yep." said Shippo with a nod, putting away his now complete math homework. "He mated  
  
with her as soon as she was of age. Its difficult to explain how, but basically as long as Seshoumaru is  
  
alive, she'll age as slow as he does."  
  
Kagome decided she'd take his word for it, the fact that a human hater like Seshoumaru would mate with  
  
one was so insane it had to be true. "Well at least he has a job." said Kagome, giving Inuyasha an only half  
  
teasing look. "What is with you and jobs?" grumbled Inuyasha. "Its good for you to have a job Inuyasha, and  
  
besides." she added with a slight blush, glancing away. "A lot of women like men who are hard working."  
  
A strange gleam entered Inuyasha's eyes as he listened. "I'm sure you could get one if you wanted, you have  
  
to be good at something." she continued. "He's good at killing things." offered Shippo. Kagome gave him a  
  
'You aren't helping' glance out of the corner of her eye.  
  
"You could go to school you know. You could-" Kagome stopped her little speech and her face lit up.  
  
"Umm- could I use your bathroom?" she asked, her voice full of embarrasment. "Down the hall, there's one in  
  
the last room. "said Inuyasha, a plan formulating behind his amber eyes. Kagome quickly excused herself,  
  
chastising herself for drinking so much tea as she went, and made her way out of the room. Inuyasha's gaze  
  
followed her until she was out of sight before he let them fall upon Shippo. A smirk appeared on his face.  
  
Shippo obviously knew what Inuyasha was thinking judging by his expression. "Oh no, there's no way I'm  
  
going to do that." said the boy, waving his hands in front of him. "Yes you will." replied Inuyasha, cracking  
  
his knuckles on the table. "Or maybe I'll tell Kagome about that time your friends got you drunk and-"  
  
"Fine!" hissed Shippo. "I'll get started on it when Kagome leaves today." he said with a sigh. "She won't like  
  
it." Inuyasha keh'd and picked up the remaining tea, Kagome's cup, and his still full one before standing up  
  
and entering the nearby kitchen. "I'll deal with it." he replied.  
  
**************************************************************************************************************  
  
"Let me guess, you have to leave." said Inuyasha darkly, finishing Kagome's sentance. Outside the light  
  
had turned to a bright redish orange, signaling the impending night fall. "Well yes, I do need to get home, but  
  
I was wondering if you two would come over for dinner. I'm sure mother would be happy to have you." Kagome  
  
replied shyly. Inuyasha's mood shifted gears instantaneously. True he'd rather have her all to himself and take  
  
her to one of the many restraunts he had planned to take her to, but this wasn't a terrible turn of events  
  
either. So should he throw away the tatters of his plans that had been created over centuries and play it by  
  
doggy ear? "So what do you say? I'm sure we have some Ramen if you don't like whatever she's cooking." Kagome  
  
added jokingly.  
  
What the hell.  
  
Inuyasha nodded his consent and Kagome turned to Shippo. "What about you Shippo? Do you want to come?"  
  
The kitsune hesitated for a brief moment before shaking his head after seeing the look Inuyasha was giving him.  
  
"I have something I need to do now Kagome, but I promise I'll come next time you invite us over." Kagome smiled.  
  
"All right, we'd better go then." Shippo nodded. "I need to get something out of the car before you go." All  
  
three of them stood up and made their way to the doorway. While inside of the house there had been a youkai, a  
  
hanyou, and a human, but once they were in daylight the youkai and hanyou had been replaced by two perfectly  
  
normal looking humans.  
  
When she exited out of the gate, Kagome found a different vehicle from the one she had been in  
  
yesterday. This one was a light blue Saturn L-1300. Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Just how many cars do you have?"  
  
she asked. "Just one. This one is a rental. I had to take the Roadster in for repairs." said Shippo, glaring in  
  
Inuyasha's direction before opening the back seat and removing another book bag, also bulging with books. "Just  
  
how much homework do you have Shippo?" Kagome asked in astonishment. Shippo chuckled. "Not too much today, it  
  
was a slow day. Well anyways, I'll see you later Kagome." Kagome said her goodbye and Shippo handed the keys  
  
to Inuyasha before disappearing back into his home. "So." Kagome said casually as she got into the passenger  
  
seat and set her bag in her lap while Inuyasha started the car. "You lived through the Boshin war right? Did   
  
you ever meet the Battousai? "Once." "Really? Was he as handsome and chivalrous as everyone says he was?   
  
Inuyasha smirked. "No, he was fat, bald, and had a thing for little boys." The look on Kagome's face was   
  
priceless.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
Ehehe, yes I know. That line's just a little bit on the crude humor side, but I couldn't help it. I don't  
  
particularly like Inuyasha using the word 'thing' either but I couldn't think of a better way to say it. 


	9. Across Time Part 9

Across Time Part 9  
  
Ehehe, I knew I was going to get a ton of flack from that Battousi comment. In fact I think that got  
  
more reviews out of you people than my whining. Just so you all know, I do enjoy the show and quite simply  
  
nothing I said has anything to do with nor was obtained from it or the manga. Besides its not like Kenshin  
  
was the real battousi in real life. I seriously doubt that was his name and know there was no way he had   
  
red hair if it was. In fact, many people believe that the manslayer didn't even exist but instead a group  
  
of people who shined in a battle or two each. I got all of my information about the Boshin war, or whatever  
  
it is called in the show, from factual sources (except the comment at the end of last chapter.)  
  
I guess you guys could call this the beginning of the second phase of Across Time. Plot twists galore   
  
ahead and now the story can begin in earnest. In fact, my favorite twist as of yet is in this chapter :D  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-Admiral Biatch- Perhaps, but its nothing new. In fact the chapters are longer than most of TFAC chapters.  
  
It was just the last few that I got lengthy on. Regardless, the chapters are going to be longer for a while  
  
at least whether it is the cause or no. It might take a bit longer to write them though.  
  
-TheWraith1- How long.. Hmm well we all see what happened when I made a guess at TFAC but as this fic  
  
is a little more on the organized side I would have to say maybe.. 40 or so thousand long? Maybe more  
  
maybe less.  
  
-Sapphire, the Water Goddess- Actually its more of an Inuyasha/Nobody romance. There's no romance   
  
whatsoever its just a look in my version of Inuyasha's past.  
  
-fuma-the-dragon-of-earth- Maybe in the kenshin show it is, but the true historical name for it is called  
  
the Boshin war, which actually I believe was several wars close together all in the name of bringing forth  
  
the Meiji era.  
  
-Kei the *Alternative Universe Girl O.o* - No I don't find you any of those things and yes I do think   
  
horoscopes are right. If you flip a coin and call out heads or tails eventually it will land on the one  
  
you called after all. I don't believe that people who make horoscopes have any mystical power though.  
  
-~AngelBaby~ - Technically Inuyasha is old, 580 something to be exact, but physically he hasn't aged a  
  
day since Kagome left. The Shikon no Tama will eventually be in the story and in fact might actually play  
  
an important part. Nope, I won't be writing a lemon. This is Pg-13 after all. That doesn't mean Inuyasha  
  
won't ever get what he needs though. And yes I'm a boy so I won't comment on what you said about Inuyasha  
  
;).  
  
-Inu Girl4- Don't worry, its coming. This is a romance fic after all, I just have always had a tendency  
  
to go by the whole fluff thing slowly.  
  
-lilemmy- You'll like what Inuyasha is planning. I think it's a good idea at least...  
  
-moon neko princess- Well its too late now to answer your question. How'd it go by the way?  
  
-Eikou- That was probably one of my better AT chapters. Eventually there will be some more delving into  
  
the past, but for the moment its on standby.  
  
-inuficcrzy- It was called the Clumsy Custard Horror Show. I loved it, perhaps my favorite character that  
  
I have ever played.  
  
-The Authoress L- Where would the fun be if she could? :P  
  
-I am Sango- Nothing to be sorry about, not rude at all. And you're probably right. I was switching   
  
computers at the time and was a little rushed in posting it. No I don't like cars, I just looked for the  
  
most expensive Japanese car I could find and copy and pasted that sucker.  
  
-TaiChiMaster8989- Makes sense to me but I'm too stuck in my ways and for once I'll stay on the American   
  
side. I usually prefer to stay with Japanese versions, especially the show itself. I only watch the   
  
Japanese version as I find it is very different and much better than the English.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
As the two climbed the last steps the final fingers of sunlight reached out from the horizon,   
  
blanketing the old Higurashi shrine in its dying glow. As soon as they had reached the top Inuyasha raised  
  
a hand and plucked the hidden leaf from his head. "Are you sure you should be doing that in plain view   
  
Inuyasha?" Kagome asked as she watched the hanyou appear where a perfectly normal, though perhaps a little  
  
too well dressed, human had been. "I never hid when.." Inuyasha paused for the briefest of moments before  
  
continuing. "I came to get you." he responded.  
  
"I guess you're right." Kagome said, smiling at the strangeness of Inuyasha speaking as his body   
  
transformed. "And besides, I want mom not to think I'm crazy. I don't think bringing in a man and claiming  
  
he's Inuyasha would help." Inuyasha smirked, the transformation now complete. "I don't think anything will  
  
help that. You've always been crazy." Kagome's smile widened slightly and she gave me a playful shove at  
  
the comment, surprisingly gentle compared to the many insults he had hurled at her over the years.   
  
Unfortunately, the playful shove didn't have very playful results as Inuyasha shouted a plethora of none  
  
to gentle curses while he crashed down the stairs of the shrine after slipping from Kagome shove.   
  
He landed face first at the bottom, sliding several feet across the tile. Once the world stopped   
  
spinning, Inuyasha found himself staring at a pair of women's shoes. above him he could here Kagome  
  
shouting apologies and questions along the lines of how many bones he had broken as she raced down the   
  
stairs. Inuyasha raised his head, painfully, to see none other than Mrs. Higurashi who was looking more  
  
than a little surprised. "Oh my!" She said, shifting the bag of groceries in her arms and bent over. She  
  
reached out with one her hands and Inuyasha accepted her help by lifting one of his own hands. To his   
  
surprise Mrs. Higurashi's hand passed right past his hand and towards his head. She then tweaked his  
  
ear, smiling.  
  
*********************************************************************************************************  
  
"Well this certainly explains my daughter's behavior this morning." commented Mrs. Higurashi as   
  
she began putting away the contents of her bag. Inuyasha sat at the table with Kagome beside him in the  
  
room connecting to the kitchen with a grumpy look on his face after insisting that his arm, which he had  
  
fallen on, didn't need bandaging and being ignored. He also was none too amused at his ear being   
  
bandaged (Courtesy of Mrs. H) as well. Taking all of this into account his grunt in response could be  
  
considered polite. "I'm sure Souta will be thrilled to see you as well. He should be home soon. Father  
  
took him to a lecture on wards, he is quite set on making Souta the next priest and caretaker of this   
  
shrine. I'm not so sure Souta shares father's enthusiasm though." Kagome stood up, seeing how her   
  
mother was going to talk up a storm for some time with the poor hanyou, and excused herself to take  
  
her bag to her room. Inuyasha barely concealed his 'pleasure'.   
  
Mrs. Higurashi continued making small talk, actually it was technically a monologue but she  
  
didn't seem to mind or notice, for several minutes and Inuyasha's attention faded in and out until she  
  
came onto a subject of importance, food. "I hope Kagome has invited you to dinner, you're welcome to   
  
stay. We're having Karei Shioyaki. It's a very tasty recipe if you like fish. Do you like fish by the  
  
way?" she asked, turning towards him after pulling a pan out from her pantry. Inuyasha blinked as he came   
  
out of his daze and nodded. Mrs. Higurashi beamed at him and set the pan down on the stove, which she had  
  
already set. "Would you be a dear and please go get Kagome? I don't know what's taking that girl so long.  
  
Tell her I could use some help in the kitchen." Once again Inuyasha nodded. He quickly stood up and exited  
  
the dining room eagerly, for more than one reason. 'Such a nice boy.' Mrs. H thought with a smile as she   
  
watched him out of the corner of her eye.   
  
  
  
The first thing the hanyou did once out of both women's sight was to yank the blasted bandages off  
  
and toss them aside where they landed on a certain sleeping fat cat who simply yawned. Moments later   
  
Inuyasha found himself in front of Kagome's closed door. He reached to open it but as his clawed hand  
  
grasped onto the knob he thought better of it, still remembering what had happened the day before. For once  
  
Inuyasha decided to take the prudent course of action. "Oi Kagome are you naked?" he called. There was a   
  
slight pause before Kagome responded. "..no..." The boy then proceeded to barge in in his usual style.   
  
Kagome was at her desk, where she had apparently been writing in something, and was giving him a strange   
  
look.   
  
"You're mother wants help." he said, either ignoring or not noticing the look. "Oh, all right. I'll  
  
come down in a second." Kagome closed what she was writing in and slid it into a self perched on the top of   
  
her desk before standing up.  
  
**********************************************************************************************************   
  
"Would you like some more tea Inuyasha?" Mrs. Higurashi asked. The whole family and Inuyasha were  
  
sitting at the table, enjoying the home cooked meal. Inuyasha was sitting between Souta, who had been more  
  
than a little exuberant at the hanyou's return, and Kagome. To Kagome's left was Mrs. Higurashi followed by  
  
her grandfather, who hadn't been so exuberant over the return of a demon. Inuyasha nodded and she reached   
  
over to refill his cup. Unnoticed to all, Kagome hadn't touched her tea. "Its nice to have you over Inuyasha."  
  
Mrs. Higurashi commented as she poured. "Really Kagome, you should invite him more often. I don't think he's  
  
eaten with us more than three times all in all this time. How are we supposed to get to know him if you   
  
never invite him over?" She said in a slightly reprimanding tone. Inuyasha's ear twitched in curiosity from  
  
the comment but Kagome decided not to find out just why her mother wanted to get to know Inuyasha. However,  
  
a light blush signified what she thought was the most probably reason.  
  
"So tell us Inuyasha, where do you live now? There aren't many forests in Tokyo." said Mrs. H between  
  
bites of her meal. Inuyasha shifted slightly in his chair. He never had gotten used to them, preferring to sit  
  
on the floor. "I have land outside of Tokyo in the mountains, but when I come to Tokyo I have a house where   
  
Shippo stays most of the time." "Shippo, he's the little kitsune boy isn't he? Why didn't you invite him to  
  
Kagome? Where have your manners gone?" asked Mrs. H. Kagome sighed in annoyance. "I did ask him mother but  
  
he was busy." Kagome's grandfather, who had been fairly silent most of the meal, spoke up. "What is the   
  
address of you home? I'd like to know where my granddaughter is running off to." Mrs. H batted him lightly  
  
on the arm. "Be nice father."   
  
"Its on Kimomoto, near Oo-dori." responded the hanyou. Both Mrs. Higurashi and her father's eyes   
  
widened at this. Grandpa, for his part, changed in attitude dramatically and his eyes gained a peculiar   
  
gleam. "Well then Mr. Inuyasha sir, seeing how you are a good friend of the family perhaps you would care   
  
to invest in our shrine. We have a booming shop and donations are always welcome-" "Father!" Mrs. H.   
  
cried, horrified. "Inuyasha is a friend not some business associate." "Well you did say to be more friendly  
  
and I was simpl-" His daughter and grandaughter's glare shut him up. "We'll talk later." whispered the old  
  
man in the wink.   
  
"Hey Inuyasha! Kagome's 18th birthday is in two weeks from today. Want to know what I got her?" asked   
  
Souta with a slightly mischievous grin. "Oh yes! I completely forgot. You're welcome to stop by if you can.  
  
It's right after school, though I think you might want to come in disguise. I'm sure Kagome would like it  
  
if you came." Said with a snap of her fingers. "I forgot too, everything's been so hectic recently it just  
  
hasn't crossed my mind. I had better make an invitation list so I can give them out when I see everyone on  
  
Monday. May I be excused?" said Kagome. Mrs. H nodded. "I think we're all about done here. I'll clean up."  
  
Kagome left to up to her room and Mrs. Higurashi entered the kitchen with a stack of dishes. "I'll go get   
  
Kagome's present so I can show you." said Souta, getting up and leaving as well. Thus it ended up that only  
  
Inuyasha and a grinning grandfather were left in the room, each on opposite sides of the table. "Now about   
  
that donation...."  
  
*********************************************************************************************************  
  
  
  
"I hate Mondays." grumbled Eri as the four girls trudged down the hall to their second hour class  
  
with books in hand. Kagome gave a tired nod of agreement. She had spent most of her weekend at Inuyasha's,  
  
not to mention inviting he and Shippo over both days (on her mother's insistence) only to realize Sunday  
  
night that she had two reports due in the morning. Needless to say she had burnt the midnight oil. Only   
  
Ayumi looked in a good mood, which eventually caused her less chipper friends to ask just why. "Haven't you   
  
heard?" Ayumi said, grinning ear to ear. "Mr. Takashi broke his leg falling down some stairs yesterday. We   
  
have a substitute gym teacher for the rest of the semester!" This brightened the girls spirits somewhat. Even   
  
Kagome had trouble feeling sorry for the man. He was perhaps the cruelest gym teacher on the face of the  
  
planet and said to be a bit of a pervert.  
  
Ayumi's grin grew even wider, if possible, as they turned to corner. "And do you know what else? I   
  
hear he's really really good looking." Eri and Yuka rolled their eyes. Kagome's eyes were to tired to roll   
  
so she settled for a mental one instead. "You always say they are good looking Ayumi." Said Eri, speaking  
  
for all of them. "But every time it turns out that they are fat, ugly, old-" It was then that the substitute  
  
teacher that was so kindly being described passed in front of them, halting the four girls, at a four hall   
  
intersection as he followed their principal. "Gorgeous.." she mumbled while Eri and Ayumi's jaws dropped a  
  
few inches. Kagome, who had been admiring the floor in front of her, tiredly looked up to see what the big   
  
deal was. It took her sleepy mind a few seconds to process what she saw walking past her. Finally it   
  
clicked and Kagome dropped her books in shock, though not the same kind as the other girls.  
  
The black haired man spared her a glance and a tiny smirk as he passed. It was none other than  
  
Inuyasha.  
  
***********************************************************************************************************  
  
"Well I believe that concludes our tour of the school grounds, other than the gymnasium of course."  
  
said Mr. Ishimaru, the school principal. Mr. Ishimaru was a short, plump man with receding brown hair and  
  
an attidute that had made him well liked by both teachers and students (for a principal at least). Inuyasha  
  
blinked, temporarily distracted by the amusing spectacle Kagome had just provided as they passed. Mr.  
  
Ishimaru flipped through the stack of papers he was carrying as they walked. "We are very glad that you   
  
could come on so such notice. When I heard of Taisho's terribly unfortunate accident I thought it would be  
  
weeks before we could find a permanent, certified substitute until he heals."   
  
He flipped through another several pages. "And you are VERY certified for one so young. My, its a  
  
surprise we've never had you in our employ Mr. Shiro. I see you are highly allergic to dogs. Well you won't   
  
have to worry about that here. Animals are strictly prohibited on school grounds except for special   
  
circumstances." Inuyasha, now Naya Shiro, smirked. Shippo had quite outdone himself on the resume. "Now, it  
  
is school policy that all physical education teachers and long term substitutes must be in excellent   
  
physical condition." said the principal as they entered into the spacious gym. He gestured to a nearby metal  
  
pull up bar on the gym wall. "I can tell that you are but for the sake of the school board would you please   
  
demonstrate?" Inuyasha, who was wearing a white sleeveless T-Shirt and black gym shorts (one of several new   
  
illusions that Shippo had created specifically for this), shrugged and walked over to the bar.  
  
He calmly reached up and effortlessly ripped it off the rest of the apparatus, causing the poor man  
  
behind him to jump as a large sweat drop formed on his head when Inuyasha held out the bar to him. "Ah...   
  
yes I believe that will do fine. Thank you." he said taking it. "Well, I suppose I had best be going then.  
  
You're first class is after the lunch hour." He handed Inuyasha a set of keys. "These are the keys to the  
  
equipment lockers. They're all labeled so you shouldn't have any problem finding anything." He then handed  
  
him a red folder. "In here is Taisho's lesson plans, test schedules, etcetera. You can review it in your   
  
office over there before lunch. The key for that is on the chain as well. Thank you once again for stepping  
  
in so quickly. I'm sure the students will be fine under your care. If you have any questions feel free to  
  
stop by." And with that Mr. Ishimaru shook Inuyasha's hand and left.  
  
***********************************************************************************************************  
  
By lunch time the entire school population, well female population at least, had heard of the new,  
  
extremely attractive (and just as importantly extremely young) substitute gym teacher. The rumor was that   
  
he was a mere 21, having graduated several years earlier than most. The rumor had arisen from a gossipy  
  
girl who student assisted in the office and claimed she had snuck a peek at his resume. No one had asked,  
  
however, why she then she didn't know his name if she had looked at his resume. Regardless of his age he   
  
was in the conversations of many students during lunch, including one being held by Kagome's three friends.   
  
"I'll give you a dollar if you go say hi to him." whispered Yuka slyly. "Oh yeah? Well I'll give  
  
you five if you say hi and ask him his name." retorted Eri. Kagome, now wide awake after her little eye   
  
opener this morning, paid little attention to the conversation, instead watching Inuyasha as he moved   
  
through the teacher's cafeteria line while she thought how best to approach him on being here before he   
  
caused a disaster. Of all things, teaching! "And if you can get him to shake your hand I'll do your homework  
  
for a week." Finally, Inuyasha sat down at the center of the teachers table. Seeing her chance, Kagome stood  
  
up and made her way over. "Oh my gosh she's actually going to do it!" whispered Ayumi, grinning. "Get ready   
  
to do homework Eri."  
  
-  
  
-  
  
On an interesting note, I have learned that Shiro means white in Japanese. Quite fitting I think. Even better  
  
Shir means worrier. Thanks to Midoriko-sama for the original name (Nayashiro for a last) which I split up   
  
for his first and last name. Well, what did you think of our hanyou's job? Perhaps the most original idea in  
  
the entire blasted story :D 


	10. Across Time Part 10

Across Time part 10  
  
Well exams are over and life returns to normal (that's why I haven't updated this week). I'm glad  
  
people liked last chapter. If anyone is interested in the anime/manga Love Hina I wrote a oneshot for  
  
it as well as this.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-KagomeResurrected -VVVVV  
  
-Lunar Inuyasha- Ok, I don't like singling out reviewers. Quite simply its bad for business and it hurts  
  
peoples feelings. But today I'm putting chivalry aside. I'll tell you right now that I am a little   
  
insulted that the first two reviews for Trickery were complaints that I had yet to update AT and was   
  
writing that instead. By the looks of it neither of you even READ the fic or if you did you didn't even  
  
put any comments what so ever. If you had done that and then asked that I hurry up on AT I wouldn't mind  
  
as much, but you didn't. Across Time isn't my life and it is not the only idea in my head. Just like when  
  
I wrote Pretending and those two short fics during TFAC if I really like an idea its not going to leave  
  
me be till I write it. In fact, I wrote the entire fic in one night thinking of my other fans because I  
  
didn't want to make you guys have to wait much longer. So basically all you lost was a day. You're   
  
welcome to ask for faster updates with AT reviews or even on a different fic that you've already read  
  
and reviewed, but please don't complain on a brand new oneshot without even giving me any comments.  
  
Ok enough ranting, yes KagomeResurrected Shippo's leaves have different clothing. Each one is unique.   
  
-Ryguy5387-Ehehe, you certainly hit the mark on that comment :D  
  
-lilemmy- You'll have to wait to see. But I certainly have something cooked up for it :D.  
  
-jim hawking jr- At this point I don't know if Rin will make a cameo or not. Seshoumaru will eventually  
  
and Rin will of course be mentioned, but I don't know if she'll be there.  
  
-TheWraith1- Ehehe don't worry I've already taken note of that.  
  
-TaiChiMaster8989- Nope haven't seen it. Something about Miroku's dangerous confession or something right?  
  
I agree, Kagome honestly sounds like a ditz in the English version.  
  
-The Authoress L- Well Inuyasha says in this chapter but he is 500 something. He just hasn't aged physically  
  
like Shippo.  
  
-Ho-Chi-Mihn-City- Ehehe I don't blame you any. In fact, there's a long joke between myself and a woman (who   
  
is almost 21 while I am 17) similar to the one you describe.  
  
-Kei- Right about Inuyasha pushing the gym teacher? Its going to be one of those mysteries for the reader  
  
to spend sleepless nights wondering if he did or not. Its never going to be brought up or specified if he  
  
did or not.  
  
-eX Driver Liz- Ehehe unfortunately Hojo is in college (Kagome is a senior in High School)  
  
-Shadow Wraith- ehe well considering how many years the manga has been running and how many times the seasons  
  
change, Kagome should be well into her twenties if I were to be realistic :P.  
  
-Airen2- Nope, shippo's the math genius in this one. Don't want it to be too close to TFAC.  
  
-inuficcrzy- Lol how to explain this... Well I think it's a bit of a mixture of Monty Python and the search  
  
for the Holy grail and Spaceballs. Its about a princess who is kidnaped by the evil ruler to the south and  
  
a daring hero who has come to marry her goes to rescue her, after being thrown in the dungeon and escaping  
  
using his magical power known as Fast Feet. Its really funny. You should recommend it to your drama teacher  
  
-Radire- While I'm still working on the perfect brother to sister gift, all of Inuyasha's parts have been   
  
designed  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
Inuyasha didn't know cafeteria lines could be this slow. It didn't help having to say hello to   
  
every faculty member in the district. Finally, it was his turn and after introducing himself to the woman  
  
he ordered tea, not particularly liking the smells coming from the food (though compared to what he was  
  
smelling from the student line it wasn't all that bad). The woman returned after a moment and handed him  
  
a Styrofoam cup full of tea. "There you go hun." she said with a wink. Inuyasha gave a nervous glance back  
  
as he walked away while considering bringing his own tea from now on. He took a sip as he walked. But then  
  
all people had there redeeming qualities. It was decent tea for a human. A little too much sugar though.  
  
After being greeted by a few more people, Inuyasha managed to make his way to the center table   
  
reserved for teachers on the far side of the building. From here, he could see the entire cafeteria, and  
  
more importantly Kagome, who was sitting with her friends at one of the nearer tables. While Inuyasha   
  
didn't know it, and probably didn't care to know, there was a unspoken tradition at the school.   
  
The closest tables to the cafeteria line were reserved for Seniors, such as Kagome. The next group of   
  
tables was reserved for Juniors and so on down the grades.  
  
Speaking of Kagome, she was now heading his direction with the obvious intent of talking with him.  
  
Strange how she moved so much faster than she had on Friday (Chapter 7). Inuyasha watched her and took a  
  
few sips of his a bit too sweet tea as she came. In the background he could see her friends all watching  
  
in anticipation. If they only knew.... "Hello Inuyasha." Kagome said in a sweet whisper once she arrived  
  
in front of him. Inuyasha smirked. "Hello Kagome." he replied. "Would you like to tell me just WHY you are  
  
here?" she asked, leaning a bit closer to him. Inuyasha's smirk grew wider. "You told me to get a job." he  
  
replied. 'And getting to stay by you longer every day is just a bonus' he added mentally.  
  
Kagome opened her mouth to respond, but a sharp voice cut her off. "Miss Higurashi you know that  
  
students are not allowed at the teachers' tables during lunch. Please return to your own." Kagome jumped  
  
slightly at the sound of her math teachers voice. "Yes Mr. Orumi, sorry sir." Kagome said with a slight   
  
bow. He was a nice man, but a real stickler for rules and harsh to those who didn't follow them. Kagome  
  
still remembered the time he made her stand in front of the class for yelling sit to keep Inuyasha from   
  
being seen on the window ledge. Inuyasha watched her retreat, feeling a bit annoyed at the mans   
  
interruption but at the same time amused as he realized fully that he was now Kagome's teacher. This was  
  
going to be more fun that he thought.  
  
*************************************************************************************************************  
  
By the time Kagome entered the gymnasium a large number of the class was already there, mostly female   
  
of course. By no means was it because she had spent a long time in the cafeteria, she was in fact quite early in  
  
hopes of being able to speak to Inuyasha, of course it seemed she wasn't the only one with that intention, though  
  
for different reasons. Given the hype Inuyasha was getting, Kagome wouldn't have been surprised if some of the  
  
more amorous students had camped out the entire lunch hour here. Kagome felt more than a bit of jealousy at all   
  
of this, but she pushed it away. Be jealous later, save school from annihilation first.  
  
It turned out that 'Mr. Shiro' was nowhere to be found. So Kagome waited and endured the many envious  
  
looks she was getting. While she hadn't been the only girl to approach Inuyasha, she had been the only one to get  
  
more that a cold hello from him. Kagome toyed with the idea of telling them she knew where he lived. Now that   
  
might change a few attitudes. And if the good Mr. Shiro had a hoard of girls besieging his home all the better.  
  
The time passed quickly and the five minute bell rung. The stragglers of the class drifted in soon enough  
  
to change in the locker rooms until the whole class was present, just not their teacher. The bell rung again and  
  
still no Mr. Shiro. A minute passed and then another. Quiet conversations began to turn into deafening ones as   
  
the lack of authority continued. Kagome was nervously watching the clock while continuing to speak to her friends  
  
as they pumped her for the very smallest bits of information she could give them on her brief encounter with the  
  
dashing substitute teacher when Inuyasha boredly entered through the main door wearing his black shorts and white  
  
shirt and carrying a red folder.  
  
As soon as he entered the noise level in the room rose several levels. "Oi!" the hanyou called to the   
  
class, getting no response. The girls were too busy discussing whether his best feature was his long black hair  
  
or his slim yet powerful frame and the boys just ignored what they considered just another ordinary, powerless  
  
sub. "Oi!" Inuyasha called louder, annoyance clear on his face as he glared at the students. Again there was no  
  
silence. Kagome took a deep breath in case a quick sit might be necessary and watched the perturbed hanyou as   
  
he clenched his fists. "SHUT THE HELL UP!!!" Inuyasha roared, stomping his foot onto the ground, causing the   
  
entire building to shutter slightly (fortunately the tile did not crack under the beating).   
  
Instantly, the gym grew quite as everyone turned in amazement towards their teacher. Inuyasha let his  
  
glare slide from student to student and more than a few flinched. Unseen to the students, Inuyasha reached into  
  
his pocket and removed a set of note cards which Shippo had handed him knowing that Inuyasha wasn't the greatest   
  
orator in the world. Inuyasha had snorted at this, but had taken them anyways when Shippo had set them down.   
  
Glancing down faster than any human could see, he began speaking. "My name is Naya Shiro. I will be your teacher  
  
for the rest of this semester." Inuyasha stealthily switched the cards and made a face before continuing. "I look  
  
forward to furthering your physical awareness and hope that we can enjoy our time together this year." 'Gods this   
  
sounds like it should be in a book.' thought Inuyasha as he switched cards again. The next one, however, did not  
  
pertain to introducing himself to the class so he stowed them back into his pocket.  
  
  
  
He then opened the folder, which he hadn't looked at until five minutes ago except to see which class   
  
Kagome was in. "It says you run for five minutes after the bell rings." He said pointing towards the book. "So   
  
start running." There was an audible groan from the students as they began their trek around the gym. Unlike   
  
with Mr. Takashi, none of the students fell behind from the others like many of the less dedicated students   
  
usually did.  
  
Kagome took this opportunity to approach the teacher turned hanyou, who was boredly looking to see what  
  
to boss the kids to do next. "Excuse me Mr. Shiro." Kagome said, emphasizing his name. Inuyasha looked up,   
  
clearly enjoying this whole situation. "Yes Miss Higurashi?" he asked, also emphasizing the name. Kagome lowered  
  
her voice as the class passed by, many looking at her with various expressions. "Why in the world are you here!"  
  
she hissed. "How in the world did you get this job? You told me you've never even been to school, so how in the  
  
world are you going to teach in one? This is a disaster!" Inuyasha shrugged. "What have I done wrong?"  
  
Kagome was at a loss for an answer. As of yet he HADN'T done anything wrong. But that still didn't mean  
  
he could manage to do this, didn't it? "Now start running with the class before I have to send you to the   
  
principal." said Inuyasha with a smirk, enjoying his new found power over the girl, perhaps a little too much   
  
than was good for his health. With a look that clearly said this discussion wasn't over with, Kagome obediently  
  
made her way back into the group of students where she was bombarded with a dozen questions at once.   
  
The hanyou watched her for a moment. He wondered why in the world they made the girl's clothing so skimpy  
  
for this class. Kagome's uniform was bad enough but these allowed the boys in the class to see a lot more than   
  
he particularly liked. Not that he was minding the view but-. Inuyasha shook his head. Thoughts of those nature  
  
weren't a good idea. They'd just make the longing worse.   
  
Once five minutes were up, Inuyasha called them back together for role. "Aida Toshio." "Here!"   
  
"Asai Ayumi." "Here!" "Bunya Mai" "Here Mr. Shiro!" Inuyasha ignored the girls too cheerful attitude and   
  
continued. "Daishi Kanzaburo. " "Present!" "Deushi Heiji" "Here!" A soft snickering errupted through out the  
  
class and Inuyasha looked up, recognizing the voice as the same as before. He spotted the boy, Heiji, Kanzaburo  
  
or whatever his name really was standing behind a group of his friends near the back of the group. "You said two  
  
names." said Inuyasha, annoyed. The boy, clearly surprised, simply shrugged.  
  
Inuyasha gave the boy a glare and he returned it defiantly. A cruel smile formed on Inuyasha's lips. "I'll  
  
have to mark them both absent then." he said. Several of the guys oooh'd and the boy muttered a few choice words  
  
under his breath, which Inuyasha smugly ignored. He heard Kagome sigh from her spot to his right "Doi Yuka." "Here!"  
  
The rest of role call was uneventful. "Yasui Eri." "Here!" "Yunokawa Hideki." Silence responded. Using the folder  
  
Inuyasha checked off the name and read the next line of instructions. "It says here to have someone take it to the  
  
office." Just about every girl and a few boys eager to get out of class raised their hand. Inuyasha's eyes settled  
  
on Kagome, who did not have her hand up.  
  
Their gazes met and Inuyasha raised the attendance sheet in Kagome's direction with full knowledge that his  
  
lifespan was being shortened dramatically by his actions and still loving it. Kagome looked at the sheet and   
  
hesitated. Whether she was reluctant to go because the office was on the far other side of the large school or   
  
because she didn't want to leave Inuyasha alone with the class he didn't know. After a moment she sighed and came  
  
over, took the sheet, and exited towards the office. The girls watched her go with a mixture of envy and pity. The  
  
pity for getting on what they deemed Mr. Shiro's bad side so quickly and the envy for getting so much of his   
  
attention without trying.  
  
Inuyasha watched her go. It was true that his main goal in life at the moment was to court the annoyed girl,  
  
though it was going a lot slower than he had hoped, but he couldn't help but harass her a little. It was just   
  
natural to him though it had caused him plenty of problems in the past. Besides, he deserved a little vengeance for  
  
her pushing him down the stairs Friday. Inuyasha glanced back at the folder after she left. "You all know what to do.  
  
Find something to do." And with that he turned from the class to go into his office and toss the folder in, only to   
  
find himself facing a wall of girls. Inuyasha did a double take. "How the hell did you-" "Hey Mr. Shiro how old are?"   
  
asked one of the girls, cutting him off. A flurry of other questions followed. "How long have you been growing your  
  
hair?" "What's your favorite food?" "Do you ever go to the movies?" "Are you single!?" The last question sent them  
  
all into a fit a giggles. The last one stung a bit as he technically WAS single when he shouldn't be. Not knowing  
  
to answer that question (and not particualarly wanting to answer it or any of the others either) he decided to   
  
answer the first one. "I'm 581. Now go do what you're supposed to." he said gruffly before brushing past the girls   
  
to let them chew on that for a while.   
  
******************************************************************************************************************  
  
Kagome made her way to the office and back to the gymnasium in record time. They were going to have a long  
  
'talk' after school about this, though while she would never admit it to him she did find it a bit amusing. When  
  
she returned, Kagome found the gym to still be intact. In fact, everything seemed to be working better than usual.  
  
Mondays were free days in gym and she couldn't find a single person not doing something that related to the class.  
  
"Wow, maybe Inuyasha CAN do this.' Kagome thought as she looked around. Her hopes were shattered when one boy   
  
accidently missed a catch while playing basketball and the ball flew into the back of Inuyasha's head. Before Kagome  
  
could even blink, Inuyasha turned around in a rage and threw the ball at lightning speed past the boy so that it  
  
slammed into the wall with a loud crack, probably causing the poor thing to wet himself. Kagome shook her head.   
  
'Or maybe this is going to be one long semester...'  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
So ends chapter 10 of AT. I'm happy to say I passed to 20k mark last chapter, my own personal standard for any fic  
  
to be considered long enough to reading if its a multichapter. Hopefully my next update will not take so long. 


	11. Across Time Part 11

Across Time Part 11  
  
Sorry its taken so long people, I would have posted sooner but I was skiing Saturday and Sunday,  
  
if you can call hurtling down a hill and praying you can control yourself long enough to slow down  
  
skiing, and I didn't have time to put the finishing touches on the chapter. I know this is very   
  
short but I promise a long chapter next time. Really I promise it will be.   
  
-  
  
-  
  
-I am Sango- I'm afraid the only convention I've been to was a Star Trek one. No, never cosplayed  
  
though I did dress up as a Star Trek character. I can't say I'd want to dress up as anyone, its  
  
not really my thing I guess, but I'd have to say... Miroku or Naraku for simply appearance reasons.  
  
-Eikou- Yep that's the one. And no Toshio won't appear in this fic. The name was just recycled. Not  
  
the same person.  
  
-TaiChiMaster8989- Ehehe just saw it. Funniest part is when she asks him if he's going to stop   
  
chasing girls.  
  
-inuficcrzy- Shippo's in college and I don't have any plans for any guest visits to the high school.  
  
No I never said where Inuyasha's been in the past 500 years. All in good time..  
  
-Kei- Unfortunately I'm not an industry. I can't make things faster and longer. And the chapters  
  
really aren't all that short. They're all at least above 2000 words. Longer waits generally= longer  
  
chapters, unless I need to finish a scene before I end it and have a really good one liner at the   
  
end.  
  
-fuma-the-dragon-of-earth- Ehe care to tell me just what I could have done more of? Doesn't really  
  
help if I guess :P.  
  
-Amygurl- No its not about those who write requests on AT reviews. It was about them going to   
  
another story without reading it to ask for updates of AT. You can beg all you want as long as its  
  
on AT or atleast a fic that you've read and reviewed.  
  
-nimerin- Hmm. Works fine for me, but its on my website if you need it and I'll email you it if you  
  
can't get it to work.  
  
-Lunar InuYasha   
  
and   
  
-KagomeResurected- Its fine guys. I don't hate anyone, I can't for some reason   
  
even if wanted to, which I don't. Just please keep requests to fics that you read and review first.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
Kagome stood impatiently in front of the shut door to Inuyasha's office, two words which she  
  
had given up hope of ever hearing together. She shifted her bag to her other shoulder as the last   
  
hopeful girl finally departed from waiting with her. Even her 'loyal' friends had taken off after  
  
twenty minutes and no signs of life. Kagome glanced over at the clock attacked to the far wall of   
  
the gymnasium. 3:50 it read. 'He has to come out of there some time." Kagome thought as she returned  
  
her gaze to the closed and windowless door. Kagome waited for another few moments before looking  
  
around the gym to make sure there weren't any hidden stalkers waiting to pounce.  
  
Seeing no one any where in sight, Kagome moved to the door and knocked. She and many others  
  
had tried this before but perhaps now Inuyasha would answer. "Inu- er Mr. Shiro?" Kagome called.   
  
There came no answer from inside, though the sound of a whistling janitor in the distance greeted   
  
her. If he didn't come out soon, he'd be locked in here for the night. 'Well if he won't come out,  
  
I'll just go get him.' Kagome decided. She reached for the doorknob, but pulled away slightly at the  
  
last second. It was kind of ominous to be doing this. Even though the room was now occupied by   
  
Inuyasha, Mr. Takashi's office was a bit of a legend in the school. She had seldom heard of a student  
  
entering it. Mr. Takashi preferred to give his verbal beatings to offenders in front of the class.  
  
Only the worst of the worst had ever been taken inside, and they had stepped out later quite reformed,  
  
for the day at least.   
  
Kagome sighed and shook her head. This was silly, it wasn't like it was a torture chamber or  
  
anything, right? Kagome reached the rest of the way and turned the knob. "Mr Shiro? Could I talk..to..  
  
you?" As the door opened, Kagome found the room to be quite neat, with a new file cabinet in the corner  
  
and a large brown desk in the middle of the room completely sparse of decoration, and quite empty as   
  
well. In the rear of the white wallpapered room was another door, ajar and leading to the outside of  
  
the school....  
  
*****************************************************************************************************  
  
  
  
When Kagome arrived at Inuyasha's home she found the gate unlocked for her. As she entered   
  
into the walled yard she heard a testy voice from beside her. "Where the hell have you been?" Once  
  
again Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin. "Would you stop doing that!" Inuyasha ignored the comment.  
  
"Where have you been? I've been waiting." he said grumpily. "YOU'VE been waiting!?" That was the straw  
  
that broke the tanuki's back. "Sit!" The rosary glowed and Inuyasha crashed into the ground with a   
  
thud muffled by the thick grass.  
  
Ok, so maybe the first one last week had been a welcome thing but that didn't mean he wanted  
  
to get back into the habit of sits. "Damn it what was that for!?" Came the hanyou's unamused response.  
  
"For making me wait for nearly an hour outside the office! Everyone thought you were in there!"   
  
Inuyasha snorted, though regretted it as he was still face down. "Keh, I left two hours ago once all  
  
the classes were done." He grunted as he pulled himself to his feet and brushed off his face, scowling  
  
the whole time.  
  
Kagome's eyes widened slightly. "You can't do that! Teacher's have to stay the entire school  
  
day!" Inuyasha smirked. "Ha! So you accept that I'm your teacher now?" he asked, poking her on the  
  
nose with his claw. Kagome rubbed her nose gently. It seemed Inuyasha had changed even less than the   
  
little she had thought. "No, and we need to talk about that. Why in the world are you a substitute   
  
teacher of all things? How could you have even got hired? There is no way you are qualified!" It  
  
was then that Shippo made his luckless entrance into the yard in his human form. He jumped slightly  
  
at the sight of Kagome on the rampage and gulped as she turned towards him. "Uh-Hi Kagome." He said   
  
nervously, inching around her towards the house. Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Well this explains a lot."  
  
*****************************************************************************************************  
  
"There's no question, you have to resign today before something happens!" Kagome exclaimed   
  
after getting the details of Shippo's forgery and dispensing a nice lecture to the two, more to  
  
blow off some frustration than anything. "He can't." replied Shippo from where he was sitting   
  
cross legged in shame at their short table. "The contract says that he must fufill his time unless  
  
a major emergency or injury occurs. And besides, even if he could that might get people to look   
  
harder into his background and my work can only last under so much scrutiny."  
  
Kagome shot him an look that told him she was clearly unsatisfied with his response and the  
  
poor boy cringed slightly. Inuyasha returned from the kitchen carrying a teapot and several cups.  
  
Kagome looked a bit surprised as he sat back down, not even having noticed his absence. Shippo   
  
gestured to the tea with the cup he took and Kagome politely declined. "There has to be something you  
  
can do. Today was easy, but it's not going to be like that every day! Tomorrow we have a test and   
  
there are sports you have to play with the class and exercise days. Do you even no what to do with a  
  
test after they turn them in? You use an answer sheet to check all the answers and then divide the   
  
right answers by the total number." Kagome sighed and sat down at the table. She decided to change   
  
her mind about the tea and took the third cup, drinking half of it down at once. Inuyasha smirked.   
  
"How hard could it be?"  
  
****************************************************************************************************  
  
Inuyasha was starting to see just how hard it could be the next day. Things had gone fine  
  
at first. On Kagome's insistence (and the fact that she had to sit close to look) he had opened the  
  
file to see what was needed for tommorow. It had turned out that there was one copy of the test in   
  
the file cabinet at school that had to be copied for all the students in a labeled folder in Mr.  
  
Takashi's cabinet. The following day Inuyasha proceeded to obtain the test and copy it the correct  
  
number of times, though the teacher lounge would possibly need a new copier.   
  
After lunch, where he had found himself getting quite a few more hello's from the girls that  
  
had been less courageous yesterday, the roll call went by without any jokers though the five minutes  
  
of running had been less efficient as several girls (and to his discomfort one boy) had tried   
  
Kagome's tactic of trying to talk to him while everyone else ran. Then came the dreaded, almighty   
  
test that Inuyasha had once listened about in annoyance all of those years ago. There were, of   
  
course, no desks in the gym so the students had simply sat on the floor. Strangely, a large number of  
  
girls (and that boy again...) had seemed to have forgotten to bring a pencil to class for the test.   
  
Luckily, Inuyasha had found a box of pencils specifically for this purpose in Takashi's  
  
office and had distributed them to those who had asked, though had sworn a few had come up twice.  
  
And so the rest of his classes had passed with ease until the last class had exited and had left   
  
him with nothing to do but grade the tests, forbidden by Kagome to leave until the last bell.   
  
"Damn." he growled as he stood in the middle of a office that appeared to have been raided  
  
after Inuyasha had turned it upside down in search of the fabled grade sheet. "Where the hell is  
  
it?" he asked himself as he kicked aside a few papers laying on the ground and made his way back  
  
to the ransacked desk. He plopped into the chair and kicked the desk in annoyance, making it slide  
  
a few inches across the carpet floor and crushing a folder under one of its legs. He looked down  
  
at the accursed stack of tests and grabbed the top one none too gently.   
  
'How the hell can you have a test in this class anyways?' he thought as he glanced down  
  
at the first side of the sheet. Maybe he'd be able to wing the whole thing. The questions should  
  
be pretty obvious..  
  
1) Approximately how much of your energy should come from Carbohydrates?  
  
A) 20%  
  
B) 40%  
  
C) 60%  
  
D) 80%  
  
2) Define metabolism  
  
3) Name five exercises to build pectoral muscles.  
  
4) During running, approximately how many calories are burnt in 10 minutes?  
  
A) 5  
  
B) 10  
  
C) 15  
  
D) 20  
  
5) Write a short paragraph on the benefits of regular exercise.  
  
Inuyasha resisted the urge to shred the whole stack of them. He was completely screwed.  
  
Later, Inuyasha, who was leaning back in his chair with his feet resting on the stack of tests   
  
stacked on the desk, heard a knock from the door he had used to escape yesterday. "Mr. Shiro?"   
  
Inuyasha recognized it as Kagome's voice. Inuyasha glanced at the clock on the wall, perhaps the   
  
only unmolested thing in the entire room. It read 3:20, school was out.   
  
Inuyasha nearly fell out of his chair. Kagome was going to kill him, or make him the first  
  
being to reach the center of the planet depending which came first, if she saw all of this. "Damn,  
  
damn, damn." he hissed as he stood up and grabbed the ungraded tests and stuffed them into the red  
  
folder. "Mr. Shiro?" came Kagome's voice again. "What?" he asked a little more gruffly than he had   
  
intended as he yanked open the door. Kagome looked a little taken aback by his response and Inuyasha  
  
began to feel the gnawing guilt that always had plauged him when he had hurt her feelings. Inuyasha  
  
saw her eyes begin to wander from him to the destroyed room behind him.  
  
Inuyasha grunted what might have been an apology as he quickly exited and slammed the door   
  
behind him before Kagome could fully comprehend the destruction he had caused. "So.." Kagome said,  
  
as she glanced at the closed door. "How did the grading go?" A small sweatdrop appeared on Inuyasha's  
  
head. "Keh, no problem."   
  
Unknown to the two, in the distance three pairs of eyes were watching them from behind a  
  
bush. "See! I told you there was something up when Kagome said she had to stay after school!" said  
  
Yuka. "I. Don't. believe it! She's walking with Mr. Shiro and they're talking!" Said Ayumi   
  
dramatically. "How could she not tell us, her best friends? "Everyone knows that five is company after  
  
all." said Eri. Yuka scratched her head. "I wonder if she knows him from somewhere. Maybe she's  
  
related." "That would be great! She could introduce me to him!" gushed Ayumi, who was ignored by  
  
the other two girls. "Lets follow and see where they go." said Yuka.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
Yes I know, short. I promise a long chapter, by AT standards, next time so go easy. I cut them off   
  
where it feels right. 


	12. Across Time Part 12

Across Time Part 12  
  
And so here is your large chapter, as promised. The whole chapter may seem a bit pointless but its   
  
actually very important for further on in the story.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-InuShemeeko- Just so you know, you might be a chapter behind what I am posting. Maybe you'll realize  
  
it by now, but this was posted in the first week of February so make sure that you look at the last   
  
post date.  
  
-DisKraced One- I made it up off the top of my head, but it was taken from what I remember from Health.  
  
-a solitary voice- If you can prove that Seshoumaru does and will always (feelings do change over time  
  
after all) think of Rin as a daughter or sister and never as anything more you're welcome to tell me.   
  
I'd be interested to hear.  
  
-Endless Moonlight- Its no problem. I was going to answer that review but I missed it becuase it was  
  
a chapter before what I was answering to. Its just that when there are 200+ people on favorite a 150  
  
that you know have you on authors alert it gets kinda annoying to know that they have enough time to  
  
change it to author alert and push okay but not review.  
  
-Junichi- Well its not really a big point or anything but no there never was one. Mr. Takashi is   
  
insane.  
  
-White Wolf Youkai- Its fine that you didn't think it was good, but I'd like to know why as so I won't  
  
make the same mistakes in the future.  
  
-I am Sango- Sorry you aren't first today ;), but yes I actually do live fairly close to NY (Michigan)  
  
but I'd rather go to Vegas for a star trek convention! :P  
  
-TaiChiMaster8989- She's an air head in all areas but guys and clothes. Stereotype I know :D.  
  
-inuficcrzy- If I had to guess I'd say somewhere around chapter 18 or 20, but no the boy won't hit on  
  
Inuyasha, its just a kind of comic relief kinda thing.  
  
-Kei- What's weird about it? Across Time, TFAC, Pretending, and all of the rest WERE bedtime stories  
  
:P  
  
-Amygurl- Yes, well Shippo is technically on Inuyasha's side of the arguement so he wouldn't want to  
  
bring up things like that. Plus there'd still be an inquiry which is bad.  
  
-Shadow Wraith- A dog ate it, but it wasn't Inuyasha :D (I'm kidding there just never was one)  
  
-Midnight-Blue-Wolves- Inuyasha: Well that's what happens when you mope all the time. Kagome: But I can  
  
for I am your god! ahahah!  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
"So have you been walking to school or taking the bus?" Kagome asked, trying to strike up   
  
conversation with the silent hanyou. He hadn't said a word since they had left the school grounds. "I   
  
walked." he said somewhat distractedly. It was partially the truth at least. He had to walk from one side  
  
of a building top to another before jumping to the next one. You never noticed how many dogs were around   
  
until they all barked at you. Kagome turned her head towards him as they walked. "Is something wrong?" she  
  
asked. "We're being followed." he replied, glancing towards her quickly before returning his gaze to  
  
straight ahead.   
  
Kagome blinked and turned to look. "Don't!" he hissed. Kagome immediately turned and faced  
  
directly ahead as Inuyasha was. "Who are they and why are they following you?" Kagome asked softly.   
  
"I don't know who they are. There's too many people here for me to smell them. Its probably just some  
  
girls from your school." he said, but that didn't stop him from walking a bit quicker when they turned  
  
a corner. If it wasn't, maybe they hadn't seen who Kagome was yet. Kagome risked a glance at Inuyasha's  
  
now grim face. It occurred to her just how little she knew about his past, no different from old times   
  
really. Was someone after Inuyasha? Someone dangerous? And how in the world did he know that someone was  
  
following them in the first place.  
  
"We're taking the bus." Inuyasha said, nodding slightly towards the bus on this street that was   
  
currently unloading people as they brushed past a street vendor trying to attract their attention.   
  
Moments later, Inuyasha was sitting on the side of the bus where he could she the sidewalk they had been   
  
walking on and Kagome was sitting directly across from him. As the bus started, his pursuers appeared   
  
from around the corner. He breathed a silent sigh of relief and slumped slightly in his chair as the three  
  
looked around in confusion.   
  
"It was your stupid friends." said the hanyou. Kagome laughed lightly in a mixture of relief and   
  
amusement. All this over her three friends. Just when she was feeling like she was in a spy movie too.   
  
She could sympathize with the poor boy, knowing her friends. She could tell Inuyasha wasn't reveling in  
  
all of the attention he was getting because of his looks. But she had a feeling all of this would   
  
certainly stop Inuyasha from ever embarking on any more teaching jobs. Regardless, at least she wouldn't  
  
have to worry about Inuyasha being in danger. If the girls did eventually manage to hunt him down, she had  
  
a feeling he'd be able to take care of himself. Hopefully.... "So...Any idea where this bus is going?"  
  
Kagome asked after a short silence. Inuyasha gave a shrug.   
  
**********************************************************************************************************  
  
"I'm home." Kagome called as she entered her home a few hours later. "Oh good, you have  
  
visitors. They're waiting in your room. I think they said they needed to talk to you about a P.E.   
  
assignment." called Mrs. Higurashi. Kagome made a face. It took less brain power to know who 'they'  
  
were than it did for them to make up this little excuse. Luckily, Kagome had failed to mention Inuyasha's  
  
current employment and she hadn't asked. "Ok." she answered as she started up the stairs. 'Well, I might  
  
as well get this over with.' she decided.   
  
Kagome reached her door and opened it slowly, making the door creak slightly. Her friends were   
  
nowhere to be seen. "Guys?" she asked as she stepped a little into the room. Instantly, two set of arms  
  
grabbed her from either side of her door and drug her into the room. Kagome heard the door shut behind her  
  
as she was pushed into her desk seat. Her three friends surrounded her, preventing any attempts of escape.  
  
"How could you not tell us you knew Mr. Shiro!" whined Ayumi. The other two girls pressed together, pushing  
  
Ayumi back. "Where did you two go?" asked Yuka and Eri in unison. "And how long have you known him?" added  
  
Ayumi.   
  
Kagome sighed and shook her head. Then a small smile formed, she might as well have a little fun   
  
with this. Clasping her hands next to her face and tilting her head slightly, Kagome replied. "Well you   
  
see, the truth is that Naya and I are in love and I've been secretly dating him behind Hojo's back for   
  
years. He took me on a romantic dinner tonight and can you believe it? He proposed! I, of course, told   
  
him yes and we'll be getting married this summer." Eri and Yuka stared at her in disbelief, but Ayumi   
  
was not so skeptical. "That means I'll never experience true love!" she wailed sadly. Then her face turned  
  
curious. "He doesn't have a brother, does he?"   
  
"You.. aren't serious are you Kagome?" Yuka asked. Kagome no longer could keep a straight face and  
  
burst out laughing. Certainly a nice fantasy, but one that Kagome wasn't seeing happening tommorow. She had  
  
yet to gain the courage to ask Inuyasha just where they stood. And what of Kikyou? Was any number of years  
  
long enough to forget about a loved one? She was happy to just have him and Shippo back into her life for  
  
now, she could wait to see what the future would bring.  
  
"He's just.. a family friend." Kagome said, with a slight blush now staining her cheeks, when her  
  
laughing subsided. "I've known him for years. And no I won't introduce you to him." Kagome finished, seeing  
  
the question forming on Ayumi's mouth. Ayumi pouted. "Well why not!" Kagome was saved the trouble of   
  
thinking of an answer thanks to Yuka. "I bet I know." Yuka said with a sly grin. "Why?" asked Ayumi eagerly.  
  
"Because she wants him all to herself!" Yuka cried, playfully poking Kagome in the shoulder. Ayumi gasped.  
  
"Kagome you're so stingy!"  
  
************************************************************************************************************  
  
After she had asked about a dozen times if Inuyasha was sure he was doing fine with his teaching  
  
job and assuring the two that she would be fine taking the (correct) bus home, Kagome had departed company  
  
from the hanyou and kitsune. Inuyasha sat where he was perfectly still, ears twitching, as he listened to   
  
the fall of Kagome's footsteps and the opening and shutting of the gate while Shippo watched him  
  
suspiciously, suspecting something was up. Once he could no longer here Kagome's footsteps, Shippo spoke   
  
up. "What do you want now?" he asked.  
  
Inuyasha smirked and slid the folder that he had been using as a place mat for his tea over to  
  
Shippo. Shippo raised an eyebrow and opened it to see the ungraded stack of papers on the left side.  
  
The kitsune chuckled. "You want me to grade them?" Inuyasha nodded. "Just use the grade sheet. Or were you  
  
not listening to Kagome again?" Shippo said, closing the folder and starting to slide it back towards   
  
Inuyasha, who reached out and stopped it. "There isn't one damnit!" he practically shouted. Shippo was  
  
unfazed, but took back the folder and opened it to look at the test. "And you don't know the answers." he  
  
said tauntingly.  
  
Inuyasha gave a growl, which Shippo took as a yes. "What will you give me if I do?" Shippo asked  
  
with a small smirk on his face. In an instant Inuyasha had the conniving boy by the scruff of his neck.  
  
Shippo looked at the larger boy with a nearly bored look on his face. "Oh please Inuyasha. Even you   
  
aren't stupid enough to think this will work. If you hit me even once I'll never help you and what will  
  
Kagome say when she finds out you couldn't grade the tests?" The boy smirked. "Or more importantly, do?"  
  
Shippo wasn't sure, but he thought he saw Inuyasha flinch slightly. "Now put me down please." Shippo   
  
said.  
  
The boy barred his teeth but complied, dropping Shippo on his rear where he had been sitting   
  
before sitting down, folding his arms, and fixing a glare on his partner in crime. "What do you want?"  
  
he grumbled. Shippo's smirk turned into a full fledged grin as he took a sip of his tea. "Be my servant  
  
and I'll do every test for the rest of the semester." If Inuyasha had been holding his cup he would have  
  
probably shattered it. The stress marks appearing on the table around Inuyasha's hands told him that it  
  
was probably a no. "All right all right.. How about you promise never to touch my car again and be my   
  
servant for just a week every time there's a test?" Inuyasha's gesture said that was a definite no as   
  
well. Shippo sighed. "You're no fun." he mumbled.  
  
"Fine, last offer. Never touch my car and cook all of the meals for a week. And you'll cook the  
  
meals for a week every time there's a test. I do have things of my own to do after all." Inuyasha made  
  
a face, but at least not an outright no, and Shippo rolled his eyes. "Oh come on Inuyasha! You know   
  
you're a good cook and its not like I'm asking you to make a seven course meal!" Inuyasha gave a snort  
  
and was silent. Shippo shrugged and stood up. "All right, whatever then." he said as he headed in the  
  
direction of his room. "Wait!" Inuyasha called. Shippo turned around, with a pleased smile on his face.  
  
"Yes?" he asked pleasantly. "Fine." Inuyasha grumbled, or at least that was what Shippo thought he said.  
  
"I'm sorry, would you please repeat that? I couldn't here you." Shippo taunted as he made his way back  
  
to the table. "I said fine!" Inuyasha snapped, looking very much like he did when he used to lose   
  
arguments about returning to the future with Kagome. Shippo picked up the red folder. "Well start   
  
cooking then."  
  
  
  
*******************************************************************************************************  
  
"Man, Mr. Shiro is even harder on essays than Mr. Takashi was!" exclaimed one boy who was   
  
looking dejectedly at his paper. "He took a point of because I spelled carbohydrates wrong." grumbled  
  
another. Kagome was pleased, sort of, to see that Inuyasha wasn't taking any favorites in the class.  
  
She had gotten a B-. "How about you just give me his phone number?" asked Ayumi, who had yet to give   
  
up and had only intensified her pestering now that they were in sight of the 'gorgeous Mr. Shiro'. A few  
  
feet away, Yuka and Eri were watching all of this and enjoying it a bit too much. Like many of the girls  
  
by now, they appeared to have jumped off the fangirl bandwagon, preferring to admire from afar, but Ayumi  
  
had not.   
  
Kagome sighed and shook her head. Come to think of it, SHE didn't know Inuyasha's phone  
  
number. They must have one, of course. If not for Inuyasha's use then surely for Shippo's. He seemed  
  
to be a fairly active member of society after all. "If you want it so bad Ayumi then why don't you  
  
just go ask for it yourself?" "You know what? I think I will!" Ayumi replied, with a determined look  
  
on her face. With that, she proceeded to step towards Inuyasha. One step to be precise, for Inuyasha  
  
happened to look in Ayumi's general direction (meaning she was standing almost directly in front of  
  
Kagome at the time). Instantly she was behind Kagome, peeking over the exasperated girl's shoulder.  
  
"I can't do it, what if he says no? I couldn't stand rejection. How would I be able to go on?"   
  
she whimpered. Kagome was spared any more torment, along with a hint of jealousy, from the love struck  
  
girl as Inuyasha called the class to attention. Needless to say the class was silent instantaneously. He  
  
was silent for a moment, glancing at something in his slightly battered folder. "It says that the next   
  
test is in two weeks and I give you the the papers to study with next week. For the rest of the week   
  
we're going to play.. football." (Please note this is referring to European football, aka soccer.)  
  
There was a cheer from a large number of the boys and a groan from an equal number of girls.  
  
Inuyasha made his way to one of the locked closet and opened the lock, using a key for once instead  
  
of his finger like at home. Several of the more eager boys rushed in and grabbed the ball, cones for  
  
goal posts, and the brightly colored jerseys that the various teams wore over their normal clothes.  
  
Four teams were quickly formed. Two of boys and two of girls. The girls would play a game against   
  
each other and then switch so the boys could play every ten minutes. Kagome helpfully informed Inuyasha  
  
of these rules while waiting in line for her jersey, the only time she had been able to get close  
  
without being hounded by Ayumi.  
  
During the games, it was clear how one of the boy teams clearly dominated the other, the   
  
effect of letting them choose their own teams. As for the girls' games, they were quite slow. But,  
  
truly, who could blame them for not wanting to run up and down a court full speed and bounce around  
  
in an effort to get the ball when their was a bleacher full of staring (and occasionally) whistling   
  
boys? Strangely, just before the bell rang that bleacher suddenly collapsed, causing the jeering boys  
  
to tumble in a heap on the ground. The janitor came to look at it during the next class, but couldn't   
  
find a thing wrong with it. And it never caused another problem during the other classes.  
  
****************************************************************************************************  
  
"Target in sight." whispered Ayumi as the three girls hid behind the school buildings' side  
  
wall. "Do you think she'll go straight to his house?" asked Yuka as they watched Kagome walk across  
  
the school grounds, alone. (Apparently Yuka hadn't jumped off the bandwagon) Ayumi nodded an   
  
affirmative while Eri shook her head and sighed. "Is this really necessary? I mean, what good is it  
  
going to do us by knowing where he lives anyways? Are you planning on staking it out or something?  
  
"Well no, but- Hey Ayumi wait up!" called Yuka as she jogged after the girl who had just sprinted   
  
off when Kagome was nearly out of sight. Eri shook her head? 'Why do I get the feeling this won't   
  
end well?' she thought as she reluctantly followed her two friends.  
  
Twenty or so peeks from behind various building later and the girls found themselves at the   
  
corner of Kimomoto street, mouths agape slightly at the houses that were in view. "I don't think  
  
she's going to Mr. Shiro's house..." said Eri. "Maybe he's got rich family? That's so great! Rich   
  
and good looking!" Ayumi practically squealed. She quickly made her way down the street after the   
  
rapidly disappearing Kagome. Yuka shook her head. "She'll never learn will she?" "You're one to   
  
talk!" countered Eri. Yuka grinned sheepishly and rubbed her head. "Well lets go then." said Eri.  
  
***************************************************************************************************  
  
"Wow Shippo, you're home early today." The young kitsune looked up from a pile of books   
  
and work at the table. "Oh hi Kagome. My last class was canceled today. Personal reasons I think."  
  
Kagome nodded and looked around. "Where's Inuyasha?" she asked. It was the first time he hadn't  
  
greeted her the instant she arrived. Not wishing to be scared out of her mind again, Kagome turned  
  
around to see if he was standing there. Nope, all clear of hanyous. Kagome turned back around in  
  
relief only to come face to face with Inuyasha, looking annoyed. "You're 'friends' followed you."  
  
he said before the shock could sink in.   
  
Kagome blinked. "They did? Are you sure?" Inuyasha nodded. "They're standing outside the  
  
gate." He said. He turned his head towards the working boy. "Oi Shippo!" The kitsune grinned from  
  
his spot at the table as he removed one of his magical leaves. "Don't worry. This'll be a piece of  
  
cake."  
  
****************************************************************************************************  
  
"Are you sure this is the right house Ayumi?" asked Yuka after a long whistle. "I'm   
  
positive! Kagome entered through that gate right there." Ayumi said as she pointed to the  
  
slightly ajar gate. Before her friends could protest she slid past the gate and tried to door   
  
beyond. It wouldn't budge. "But Kagome just opened it!" she exclaimed. "Ayumi, are you SURE that  
  
you didn't see someone else go through this door?" Eri asked, raising her eyebrow. "I said I'm  
  
sure!" The girl said insistently as she made her way back to the other two girls. "Help lift me up  
  
so I can see over the wall."  
  
The two girls gasped. "Ayumi are you crazy? Trying to open the door was bad enough but we  
  
could get into serious trouble!" protested Eri. "I know, but don't you think its strange that the   
  
door is locked? What if this isn't Mr. Shiro's house and Kagome's in trouble?!" argued Ayumi.   
  
Yuka glanced at Eri. "She has a point." she admitted in a slightly worried tone. Eri bit her lip   
  
and thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Oh all right, but just a quick peek and then   
  
we're out of here. If Kagome's in trouble we'll call the police."   
  
With that, Yuka and Eri stood underneath the wall and clasped their hands together. Ayumi  
  
proceeded to carefully stand on their hands and allow them to lift her up. "Hurry Ayumi, you're  
  
heavy." huffed Yuka. Ayumi looked down, her face crimson. "I am not!" she cried. "LOOK!" the two  
  
straining girls shouted. Ayumi nodded and lifted herself the last few inches to peer over the wall.  
  
However the only thing she saw was staring her straight in the face from the other side of the wall.  
  
It was by the strangest, most hideous creature that Ayumi had ever laid eyes upon. The poor girl let  
  
out a blood curdling shriek and released her grip on the wall, sending her down apon her two friends.  
  
"Ayumi what's wrong?!" asked Yuka, laying on her back with her arms and legs entangled with  
  
the other two girls. "M-monster!" the terrified girl answered. "What?" asked Eri in confusion.   
  
"N-nevermind, you were right this is definitely the wrong house. Now lets get out of here!" and with  
  
that, Ayumi leaped to her feet and half dragged her two friends down the street as fast as her legs  
  
would take her.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
Run Forest Run! 


	13. Across Time Part 13

Across Time Part 13  
  
I'm back everyone, I went to a winter carnival last weekend if you want to see pictures, I'm in a few for all  
  
the people who ask about my picture, they are at my website in the Me Page that I recently made. Ooh AT is now  
  
over 30k words long. Yay!  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-Ryguy5387- *shrugs* I needed something to put at the end ;)  
  
  
  
-I am Sango- Wow that much? We have two Japanese exchange students at my school I should ask..  
  
-inudog- Well it says in this chapter but he looked like a Tengu, search for it on yahoo.com  
  
-Radire- Yep, I do have an ending play though it was only recently that I thought of it. I'm glad though as  
  
I don't like writing a story if I don't have a beginning and an end.  
  
-Sashi- Just so you know Inu didn't invest, he wasn't listening. :P  
  
-KagomeFan- No lemons. Lime... well it depends on what you define as lime. There is going to be one scene but  
  
its not going to be anything big really and its not going to be where the two are mad with lust and something  
  
makes them stop from going all of the way.  
  
-Inu-babe666- I'll try and read one or two after I post this. Remind me next time if I don't.  
  
-Sango13- Let me educate you on the wonders of my name :D. SvF was a gaming group called Shadow Viper Fleet,  
  
BD stood for Black Dagger squadron, the subgroup I was in and 02 was my rank (01 was the best). Wedge is just  
  
the name I chose.  
  
-Master Ghaleon- It is autumn, early November to be exact.  
  
-fuma-the-dragon-of-earth- I'm afraid you've lost me. Could you be more clear what forest thing you are talking  
  
about? I don't recall one in the last chapter...  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
A few moments later Shippo reentered his abode with a very self satisfied smirk on his face. "Well. that  
  
takes care of that." he said as he returned to his seat. "Do you think that was a good idea? What if they call   
  
the police?" Asked Kagome, who had watched the whole thing by peaking through the blinds of one of the many   
  
windows. Shippo gave a chuckle. "Trust me they won't. What can they say? That their friend is in a house that   
  
is haunted by a Tengu?" Kagome pondered over that for a moment, they were Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi after all...  
  
Meanwhile, Inuyasha, who didn't look all too pleased at the events that had just taken place, sat down on the   
  
small part of the table that wasn't dominated by books and work, pulling the seemingly always present tea pot  
  
and cups out of the mess where he could reach them.  
  
"Inuyasha, don't you drink anything other than tea?" Kagome asked, sitting next to Inuyasha, seeing that  
  
there was no space for he anywhere else, and setting down her bag next to her. Inuyasha looked down at his cup  
  
and shrugged. "Water." he replied, wondering if perhaps she did not like his tea. Shippo sighed as he closed   
  
one of his books and opened another. "Inuyasha's stuck in his ways. He's been drinking it for years, chances   
  
are he'll be drinking it for the rest of his life." Kagome shrugged, deciding the boy was probably right, and  
  
then looked down (well more like up) at the mountain of books that Shippo had piled around him. "Oh that reminds  
  
me Shippo." Kagome said, snapping her fingers. Shippo looked up from his reading. "What?" he asked. "Um, do you  
  
think you could help me with some of my math homework? I don't understand what to do.." she said in an embarrassed  
  
tone, rubbing the back of her head as she did.  
  
Shippo grinned. "Sure Kagome! I'd be happy to help." Then a cunning look appeared in his eyes. "In fact,  
  
why don't you stay for dinner and I'll help you afterwards?" he asked sweetly. Kagome smiled. "All right, it's a  
  
deal. What are you having?" Shippo's grin widened. "You'll have to ask Inuyasha." He replied. Kagome turned her  
  
head to the hanyou, who was giving Shippo a death glare for two reasons. The first was for doing this to him.  
  
And the second, and more important in his mind, for inviting Kagome to dinner when that was his job! "Ask   
  
Inuyasha?" Kagome asked in confusion. Shippo simply nodded. "Why? Is he going to order take out?"   
  
**************************************************************************************************************  
  
"Are you sure he doesn't need any help?" Kagome whispered to Shippo as they listened to a mixture of  
  
swearing and the sound of pots and pans clanging. Shippo shook his head as he picked up the last of the books  
  
he had been using off of the table to take them into his room. "Nah, don't worry about it. Its just the way he  
  
does things I guess. His food can sometimes be really good but its always edible." It occurred to Kagome that this  
  
was coming from a college student who ate at a college cafeteria, but she decided not to bring that fact up.  
  
"So you wouldn't happen to know what he's going to cook do you?" Kagome asked conversationally after a   
  
particularly loud series of not so nice words from the nearby kitchen rang out to where they were sitting.  
  
Shippo closed his eyes and inhaled. "It smells like some kind of Domburi. Either that or he's cooking   
  
Gyoza." Kagome blinked in surprise. "Wow, you can really tell what he's making like that?" Shippo opened an   
  
eye and grinned. "Nope, but those are the things he usually makes when he has to cook dinner. The things he  
  
cooks best at least. I can't tell exactly what he's cooking when he does but I can smell smoke after all!"  
  
Kagome gave a polite burst of laughter, not quite sure whether he was joking or not. Regardless, Kagome   
  
shifted slightly in her chair to give her a better view of the portion of the kitchen that she could see, just   
  
to make sure that she could spot any smoke that might appear.  
  
They passed the time waiting by chatting about a variety of subjects, including Shippo's opinion on  
  
college (if anyone could give a good analysis it would be him after all). After around twenty minutes, Inuyasha  
  
finally ended his war with the stove and brought out their dinner. Kagome resisted the urge to smile while Shippo  
  
went to grab the plates and silverware. Was it just her or did one of Inuyasha's ears looked slightly singed?   
  
After Inuyasha had grumpily set down the plates of Domburi and Gyoza, Kagome smiled at the fact that Shippo's   
  
prediction had come true. "What?" Inuyasha asked suspiciously. "Oh nothing. It looks wonderful by the way."  
  
Kagome replied.  
  
"Keh." was all that Inuyasha, who looked a little pleased at the comment despite his response, said.  
  
"Here we go." said Shippo as he carried out a stack of plates, silverware, and chopsticks and passed them out.  
  
Inuyasha, of course, took a pair of chopsticks while the other two preferred the more westernized version of   
  
utensils. Shippo immediately dug in once he had passed the plates, but Inuyasha waited quietly as Kagome took  
  
a tentative bite from one of her Gyoza. Her face lit up immediately. "Wow Inuyasha, this is really good." Kagome  
  
commented. "Yeah, this is a lot better than yesterday." added Shippo, who then smirked. "I wonder why?"   
  
Normally, Shippo would have gotten some kind of physical reprimand but Inuyasha was in a good mood from  
  
Kagome's praise and didn't catch the jab. Kagome took a sip of her hesitantly accepted tea to hide the slight  
  
blush on her face.  
  
The rest of the meal passed uneventfully, and once the dishes were cleared away Kagome took out her   
  
math book, paper, and a pencil. Having nothing better to do (after all few things were better from Inuyasha's  
  
point of view than any excuse to be near the young miko) Inuyasha lounged around near Shippo and Kagome while  
  
they worked. "Oh, I see what your doing wrong. Sine is opposite dived by hypotenuse not the adjacent leg.   
  
Remember Sine is Opposite over Hypotenuse, Cosine is Adjacent over Hypotenuse, and Tangent is Opposite over   
  
Adjacent. SOHCAHTOA. Some other house can always top our abode is how I remember it." Kagome nodded and wrote  
  
down the acronym on a piece of scrap paper. "Thank you Shippo, I'll remember that." Kagome glanced back at  
  
Inuyasha, who was watching the two of with a mixture of bordom and envy. "Interested Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.  
  
Inuyasha gave a snort. "Why would I be? Stuff like that is all useless anyways." Shippo groaned. 'Here  
  
they go again.'   
  
*************************************************************************************************************  
  
The next day in gym it was clear that the team of non-superstar atheletes was being dominated again.  
  
It was only half way through the first game and the score was already 5-0. Suddenly, a cheer erupted from the  
  
bleachers. Make that 6-0. Inuyasha leaned against the gym wall closest to the bleachers as he boredly watched  
  
the massacre. The disinheartened 'losers' teams kicked the ball into play and almost immediately lost it to  
  
one of the more skilled players of the others team. He then passed the ball to a rather burly looking high   
  
schooler who then unleashed all of his might on the ball with a kick. The ball hurled through the air and   
  
collided with the unfortunate goalie's face. The poor boy was knocked backwards and went down rather hard.  
  
A collective wince and sound of sympathy rippled through the gym as Inuyasha made his way over to the  
  
kid, now sitting up and clutching his face. "Oi, you all right?" he asked in a not so concerned tone. "Yeah,  
  
I'm not bleeding. Is it all right if I sit out the rest of the period sir?" Inuyasha shrugged. "Go ahead."   
  
"Now we're one person short!" exclaimed one of the boys as the injured goalie made his way to the bleachers  
  
where he received the concerned attentions of several of the female classmembers. And then someone got a very  
  
'bright' idea. "Hey Mr. Shiro! Will you be goalie for their team?" asked one of the students.   
  
A cheer of approval erupted from the bleachers as well as a few supporting comments from several  
  
of the girls, including one of Kagome's annoying friends. And so it came to pass that moments later Mr. Naya  
  
Shiro stood in front of the makeshift goal with his arms folded and looking none to pleased, but what else is  
  
new? The other team threw it in from mid court and the game began again. The ball was passed back and forth  
  
and for a while it looked like Inuyasha's team, bolstered in morale with his arrival, might actually score,   
  
but it was not to be. As one of the boys started to close in on the other team's goal, the annoying boy,   
  
Heiji was his real name Inuyasha had found out later, who had called out two names during role the first day  
  
managed to steal it and began a unchallenged run down the court. Heiji had an evil grin on his face, clearly   
  
wanting a bit of revenge, but Inuyasha was unimpressed.  
  
Once in range the boy faked a kick to the right before sending it sailing towards Inuyasha's left   
  
with impressive speed for a human, but Inuyasha wasn't human. Effortlessly, the hanyou shot up his left hand   
  
and caught the ball before it could pass him. A mixture of a gasp and cheer erupted from the female dominated  
  
bleachers. Inuyasha thought he even saw Kagome watching him with an impressed look on her face from behind   
  
several girls who had stood up. That or she was holding her in one of her hands and shaking it in disapproval.   
  
Inuyasha decided he liked the first choice better. Inuyasha gave the boy a mocking smirk before throwing the  
  
ball down court where it accidently bounced off one of the stunned players and rolled unmolested into the   
  
goal. Score 6-1.  
  
Minutes passed and slowly, with Inuyasha's help, the losing team started to catch up. The game was   
  
taking the entire class hour up but noone complained, especially not the girls. The final minutes were here  
  
and the score had been tied 6-6. While the other team indeed better players, they were now far more exhausted  
  
after repeatedly trying to score past Inuyasha's undefeatable defense. The last minute was reached and still  
  
no change in the score had occurred. Then the opposing team captured the ball and everyone but the goalie made  
  
a desperate last run towards Inuyasha's impenetrable goal. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. They were planning   
  
something, but what? Heiji again had the ball as he made his way down the court. Inuyasha tensed himself to  
  
beat down the scumbags shot, but something happened right before he kicked. One of the other team's players   
  
standing close to him stumbled, running into Inuyasha and giving Heiji the chance he need. 'What the hell!?'   
  
thought Inuyasha as he was pushed out of the way and the ball shot into the goal. Score 7-6. The bell then rang.  
  
Inuyasha's team had lost, and Kagome was watching.  
  
"Sorry Mr. Shiro." said the boy who had run into, who did not look very apologetic. A few boos and   
  
comments on sportsmanship came from the bleachers but the other team cheered anyways. Inuyasha glowered at  
  
the other team. They might of won today but there was tomorrow. Oh yes, tomorrow. But first...  
  
As the class filtered out of the gym to the lockers with a mixture of grumbling and chatting, Kagome  
  
walked up to Inuyasha, putting a hand on his shoulder when he began to move towards the locker room, probably  
  
to bash some heads. "Don't let it get to you, they're always like that." Kagome said with a smile, moving her   
  
hand once he had stopped. Inuyasha smirked. "Well I can be like that too." he replied before turning towards his   
  
office and making a leasiurly stroll towards it, a somewhat disturbing smile on his face. Kagome gulped. 'What  
  
is he planning?' she wondered as she started towards the girls locker room. "Don't kill anyone." Kagome called  
  
in an only half joking manner.   
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
  
  
Well that's that. And no Heiji isn't going to become the villian like Toshio in TFAC. He's just a foot note  
  
really. 


	14. Across Time Part 14

Across Time Part 14  
  
*Note to all readers. Fanfiction.net seems to be screwing up again, if you reviewed this chapter please  
  
make sure it showed up.  
  
Well, this, or the next chapter I guess, can be considered the end of the previous part and the start  
  
of the next. All you fluff lovers won't have to wait much longer, it is coming! Sorry it took so long  
  
I'm having writers block on how to get everything to the next point so if I don't post for a while   
  
just consider it a temporary Hiatus.  
  
*Note to all readers. Fanfiction.net seems to be screwing up again, if you reviewed this chapter please  
  
make sure it showed up.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-DisKraced One- I'm single, don't have a girlfriend. And besides, we celebrated Valentine's day Friday  
  
instead of Saturday.  
  
-Tori the Hanyou- Ehehe actually if anyone was copying it would be them, as my fic is just about   
  
exactly a month older than theirs. But it doesn't matter, this whole plotline about Inu in the future  
  
is very widely used.  
  
-Endless Moonlight- Pre-calculus/Trigonometry depends on what your school calls it.  
  
- Kei- It stands for the Upper Peninsula. It is that big landmass above the mitten of Michigan.  
  
-I am Sango- I talked to the girl (Her name is Kanna! Isn't that such a neat coincidence!?) and uniforms  
  
are very expensive.  
  
-inuficcrzy- Will he in the fic I dunno, but yes he can cook.  
  
-KagomeResurrected- But first... I'm guessing that is when Inuyasha just lost. But first as in but first  
  
I'm going to kick some arse. Put your mind in the characters position, I try not to make things difficult  
  
to understand.  
  
-jim hawking jr- Yes he does go to Seshy's college, I don't think there will ever be a scene about it  
  
though.  
  
-Junichi()- Yes they were playing soccer.   
  
-Inu/Kag Fan()- My best guess would be around 50,000. The rate it is going I had thought maybe 40k but   
  
I was wrong.  
  
-Sango13()- A foot note would be if you were to summarize the story into a paragraph, one line would   
  
mention it. It's just a side note on the story's main plot.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
Inuyasha smirked the next day as he surveyed his new team as they moved into position. He was  
  
going to enjoy every moment of this, regardless of the consequences. It had been a fairly easy job to  
  
get one of the jocks to give up his position on the team on the accounts of a 'stomach ache'. No he   
  
hadn't punched him, a few A's here and there on the grade sheet and everyone was happy (punching was the  
  
back-up plan). Needless to say that there was a mixture of positive and negative emotions as he   
  
announced he'd be filling in. Some of the more suspicious and cocky players had said it wasn't  
  
necessary, while the bleacher groupie girls said otherwise, but Inuyasha had ignored them as he took up   
  
the bribed boy's spot on the front line spot to the left of the ball.  
  
The kick off had been given to the totally out classed other team for obvious reasons. The honor  
  
to kick had been given to possibly the smallest, scrawniest boy in the entire room. In fact, a few years  
  
ago he might have given Shippo a run for his money. The boy gave a nervous glance towards Inuyasha and  
  
then in the other direction towards the boy who had pushed him away from the goal yesterday. He chose  
  
what he thought the safer direction and kicked it to his team member farthest away from Inuyasha. The  
  
tactic didn't help them any even though Inuyasha didn't bother to run after the ball, much to the   
  
spectators' disappointment, and before they had gotten half way to the goal with the ball it was stolen  
  
away by one of Inuyasha's new teammates.  
  
  
  
Seeing Inuyasha open and unguarded, the boy sent it in his direction. Inuyasha smirked as he   
  
watched it come, unfolding his arms and getting into a ready stance. As it came closer to him, Inuyasha  
  
drew back his leg and a few players actually ducked, expecting him to send it into the next world. The  
  
poor goalee on the other side of the gym even crossed himself. The ball entered kicking range and   
  
Inuyasha kicked. Silence followed. No loud crack as his foot connected with the ball, no whistling   
  
sound as the ball broke the sound barrier, no blood curdling scream from the goalie, simply silence.  
  
Inuyasha's foot had missed the ball, swinging by a moment to early. Seeing his first triumph at  
  
hand, Inuyasha let the foot fall, hitting the ball in the direction of his own goal. The two teams simply  
  
stood there dumbfounded as the ball rolled up to the scrawny boy from before. Seeing his chance he turned  
  
and kicked the ball past the motionless goalie. Score 0-1. There was no cheering or booing this time,   
  
just confused silence as the teams got into position, some glaring at the treacherous Mr. Shiro. For the  
  
next few minutes the ball was kept as far from Inuyasha as possible, his team no longer trusting him (and  
  
for good reason). The other team, however, caught on and used it to their own advantage by using the gap  
  
in their defense that was Inuyasha when passing and shooting. Inuyasha did nothing to stop them and   
  
on one occasion lifted his foot so that the ball could continue its course.   
  
Eventually, however, one of the boys was cornered and had no one to pass to but Inuyasha. Big  
  
mistake on his part. Inuyasha smirked as he stopped the ball with his foot. Instead of rushing ahead to  
  
press the advantage, many of his team members formed a defensive wall around his goal. The boy who had  
  
pushed Inuyasha out of the way yesterday, the only team member still up court, shouted something less   
  
than courteous at the boy who had passed to Inuyasha. Inuyasha turned towards him. Target in sight. Wham!  
  
went the ball as it flew down the court. It connected with his head, knocking him down and bouncing off   
  
into the goal. The score was now tied 3-3. Luckily, Inuyasha had held back enough not to snap the kids   
  
neck, instead just making a sizable lump on his forehead.   
  
The boy muttered a few choice words under his breath, clutching his face while his friends   
  
laughed. "Great shot there Ryu!" jeered Heiji as the boy got up and walked down the court. "He did that  
  
on purpose!" the boy whispered to his friend. Heiji smirked and elbowed him in the ribs. "Then do it to  
  
him." he replied. A evil grin appeared on Ryu's face and he nodded. Inuyasha, a mere twenty feet away,   
  
heard the whole thing. When the ball had been kicked off and eventually stolen, Inuyasha made sure that  
  
he was open. As had been suggested, Ryu kicked the ball with all of his might towards Inuyasha, who was  
  
ten feet away.   
  
The ball would have missed his head by a few inches, but Inuyasha moved enough so it would hit.  
  
He raised his head backwards and then brought it forwards, hitting the ball straight back at the   
  
surprised Ryu. And thus the boy gained another bump on the head as he went down. Everyone laughed this   
  
time, except an exasperated girl in the third row of the bleachers that is. Inuyasha smirked at the boy,  
  
who had been lowered a few notches by now. That was one down. The game continued normally for the next  
  
ten minutes, though with a little help from Inuyasha the score reached 4-6 in favor of the other team.   
  
Finally, Inuyasha saw his chance. The positions were similar to when he had given Ryu his first  
  
lump, except Heiji was now near the goal. With a light kick, for him at least, he sent the ball hurling   
  
towards Heiji, who had just enough time to widen his eyes before the ball collided with his gut, sending  
  
him to his knees as the air was knocked out of him. The ball rolled back towards Inuyasha. He promptly  
  
kicked it into the goal to make the score 5-6. Heiji was still grabbing his stomach and choking when  
  
Inuyasha came up, feeling just a little bit of remorse for his actions. "Oi. Get up. Be glad it didn't  
  
hit lower." A very very little bit of remorse...  
  
Inuyasha turned his back on the boy and began to walk away, his score settled. However, Heiji   
  
didn't seem to think so. "You bastard!" he growled, getting to his feet and coming towards him.   
  
Inuyasha stopped walking but didn't turn around. With an animal like roar the boy came at him, his fist  
  
pulled back. At the last moment, Inuyasha turned around and brought his hand palm down on the boys head,  
  
knocking him to the floor with a thud only accented by the complete silence of the room and putting him  
  
out like a light. Inuyasha smirked, it seemed he was going to get an added bonus out of this. Inuyasha   
  
grabbed his arm and drug him across the floor towards the bleachers, dropping him once he was out of  
  
bounds. The girls were whispering and giggling as he picked up his folder from the lowest bleacher, all  
  
but Kagome who was glaring daggers at him.   
  
Inuyasha opened it and took out one of the many disciplinary sheets that Mr. Takashi had stored  
  
behind all of the papers. He filled it out, marking him for suspension from the class for the rest of   
  
the semester as well as a couple weeks of detention after school (Inuyasha hates cheaters if you haven't  
  
realized it yet... :P) just for the heck of it. Then he came to where he had to fill out the infraction  
  
committed. Inuyasha paused before separating the school records version and the version to be sent home.  
  
On the school version he wrote 'attacking a teacher.' On the one for the parents he wrote a far more   
  
colorful explanation, saying 'Being an ass.' Inuyasha smirked as he put the paper on the boys head for   
  
when he woke up. Let him explain THAT to his parents.  
  
And so ended the last act of defiance any student ever showed him for the rest of the semester.  
  
"The girls will play for the rest of the class." Inuyasha called out as he headed for his office. There  
  
was a groan from the girls as they switched places with the boys. No one touched the unconscious Heiji   
  
laying on the floor as they did so. Kagome watched as Inuyasha entered his office and shut the door   
  
before closing her eyes. '1...2....3....4...5' she counted before taking a deep breath. "sitsitsitsitsit  
  
sitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsitsit." she whispered. From inside the closed office   
  
came alound crashing noise and lots of swearing but no one dared to disturb the substitute teacher.  
  
Kagome smiled, feeling a lot better. "Hey 'sit' Eri!" Called Kagome, whispering a sit in between. The   
  
girl, who was on the other team, turned to her. "What 'sit' are 'you 'sit' doing 'sit' after school?"   
  
she asked. "Nothing." Responded the girl. "Say Kagome do you have a cold or something? You're speaking  
  
a little funny, it sounds like you have a lisp almost." Kagome smiled. "Oh it's 'sit' nothing.  
  
******************************************************************************************************   
  
The Next Week  
  
Outside was a gloomy one for such a festive day. The sun was completely blocked out, leaving   
  
the world in gray. Any minute now it looked like it could rain. Inuyasha had left directly after school  
  
back to his home to prepare for Kagome's birthday party. Shippo had, of course, been invited and was   
  
already home getting ready himself. "So is everything ready?" asked Shippo, currently in his human form   
  
as he adjusted the tie of his one piece tan suit he was wearing. Inuyasha nodded as he inspected himself   
  
in the mirror. The problem with Shippo's illusions were that when they physically changed the outside of  
  
body to look human and his clothing as well. While he had to admit he looked pretty good in a blue suit,   
  
he hated the feeling of it on his skin and how tight it was compared to his many century old kimono.  
  
"You sure? You don't want to look more of a fool than you already are you know." Inuyasha gave  
  
him a glare from the corner of his eye. "I said yes." he growled in annoyance. Shippo shrugged and  
  
brushed his suit down. "All right, if you say so." Inuyasha turned away from the mirror. "What did  
  
you get her?" he asked as he did. Shippo smirked. "Why? Are you afraid I'll out do you? Oh why am I   
  
even asking that question? Well you don't have to worry, its nothing fabulous." The two made their  
  
way out of Shippo's room where they had been preparing. "Now are you SURE Inuyasha?" A bop on his head  
  
was the only response he got.  
  
Ten minutes later, the two climbed the last of the shrine steps to see quite an impressive   
  
sight. The shrine grounds made a perfect place for celebrations and festivals, and they were used   
  
accordingly. Streamers and ribbons had been attacked the the various buildings and anything else that  
  
was capable of holding them above head level. In addition, traditional lanterns had been attached to  
  
the main three longest lengths. A large banner reading "Happy Birthday Kagome" and decorated with   
  
various markings was spread across the side of the Higurashi home and a number of circular tables with  
  
a long table clothed, rectangular table directly under. The God Tree hadn't been left out either and it  
  
sported numerous lights and other decorations. Inuyasha gazed at the tree, it had been a long time   
  
since he had sat in it. Long before Kagome had been even born.  
  
Inuyasha had never been one to reminisce for long and quickly turned his gaze elsewhere. The  
  
warnings of rain had been taken into account and tarps had been hung over the tables and as much of the  
  
grounds as could be. Kagome was nowhere in sight , but several other guests had arrived, including   
  
Kagome's three friends who were all sporting identical blue strapless dresses. They were standing by   
  
the long table where a number of snacks, a punch bowl, and a cake were set. The cake was an impressive  
  
example of Higurashi cooking. It was coated white with numerous, different colored lines ontop swirling  
  
around in seemingly random patterns but in the center they all intersected in a way that spelt out   
  
"Happy Birthday!". On one of the circular tables had a stack of presents sitting on top of it, so   
  
Shippo made his way over to put his present which he had under his arm in the pile.  
  
Just as he was about to set the present down on the top of the pile, the terrible terrible   
  
three struck. "Hi!" They all practically shouted, making the poor boy knock down the entire pile down  
  
and sending many onto the ground around them. 'Well that's not good.' thought Shippo as he bent down to  
  
pick them up. "Er.. Hello." he said nervously. They looked a lot more intimidating when they had him   
  
surrounded like this and weren't running down a street in terror. "So are you a friend of Kagome's   
  
family too?" "Are you related to Mr. Shiro?" "Hi my name's Ayumi what's yours?" Shippo looked at the  
  
three in confusion, not knowing who had asked what in their flurry of questions. "I'm Shippo Shiro."  
  
said the boy as he picked up several presents. All three girls bent down to continue their questioning.  
  
"Wow! Shippo? I have never heard that name before. Is it foreign? Oh I'm Yuka by the way."   
  
said the girl on the left. "My name is Eri." said the one of the right. "So you are related to him.   
  
Are you his younger brother?" said the one in the middle, apparently named Ayumi. Shippo stood up,  
  
immediately followed by the three girls, and set the presents back in an orderly position. "No its  
  
Japanese. And I guess you could say I'm adopted. My parents died a long time ago when I was young."  
  
"Oh I'm sorry." said Ayamo, or was it Ayomi? Whatever her name was the other two girls closed  
  
together, excluding the third girl. Something was muttered between them but even with his youkai ears  
  
Shippo wasn't sure what they said. Part of it sounded like 'Chasing Mr. Shiro'.  
  
"So Shippo, are you in college?" Asked Eri, or was it Yuka? "Ah yes, I go to Tokyo   
  
University." Said the boy as he finished restacking the presents and began to back away. 'Now I know  
  
how Inuyasha feels.' he thought. However, before he escape the other girl suddenly appeared behind him.  
  
"Wow really? What are you studying for?" asked which ever girl she was. The Ayabi girl appeared to his  
  
side, effectively pinning him between the girls and the table. Meaning unless he jumped over the table,  
  
which was starting to look like a favorable option, he was trapped.   
  
"Actually I'm not studying for anything per se. Just trying to learn everything I guess you   
  
could say. Now I think I had-" The boys plea for freedom was cut of by Ayabi, er Ayumi, who was   
  
sporting her most charming. "Wow, you must be really smart like your brother! You know, I have a   
  
biology project that I don't quite understand. Maybe you could help me sometime?" Shippo's face was  
  
starting to go red, as the girl was getting quite close by then. He craned his neck back to see   
  
give Inuyasha, who had been watching this with twisted pleasure, a look of distress, but he had his   
  
eye on something, or more specifically someone else.  
  
"Shippo! How are you doing? Its been a while hasn't it?" said Kagome, who suddenly appeared  
  
close by to rescue the beleaguered kitsune. She grabbed him by the arm and tugged him out of the group  
  
of disappointed girls, all the while chatting about mostly make believe things such as his aunt and  
  
keeping a large smile plastered on her face. While he was rescued, Shippo took a moment to examine   
  
Kagome's choice of clothing. The dress she was wearing was white and reached down to her ankles. It   
  
was sleeveless and held up by thin straps far from her neck. And because the author is a male, not   
  
into clothing, and doesn't know a more polite way to describe it, the front rose high enough not to   
  
reveal any cleavage. Her hair was done up into a ponytail with a baby pink bow to tie it in a way   
  
let a few curls fall about her face. The whole outfit was quite nice, though in Shippo's opinion she  
  
could have used an accessory around her neck to compliment the whole thing. And for a guy, Shippo new  
  
his fashion. Five hundred years of it did that to a person.  
  
"Sorry about that Shippo, I should have warned you yesterday." Kagome whispered, releasing the  
  
boy once they were a safe distance away. Shippo sighed and shook his head. "It's all right, I feel more  
  
sorry that you have to put up with that all the time." Kagome smile. "Well, they can be a little   
  
quirky at times but they're good friends. Where's Inuyasha?" Shippo shot a covert glance back to   
  
Inuaysha who was now, unfortunately for him, gaining the attention that Shippo had thankfully lost.   
  
Shippo smirked. "I don't know, he might not be here yet. We didn't come the same way." said the boy,   
  
turning his gaze away. "Say, that punch looks good. Want to get some and we can wait for him?"   
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
Got nothing to say I'm afraid. 


	15. Across Time Part 15

Across Time Part 15  
  
Ok, chapter 15. Took forever but hey at least its here now eh?  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-Inu/Kag Fan- Well if you figure out what that special thing is I'd be very interested to know. I   
  
mean, it doesn't to take a genius to see that my grammar and spelling are crummy, the characters   
  
are not terribly deep, and the plots aren't extraordinary. But still I'm terribly popular. *shrugs*  
  
-Ryguy5387- It's coming, don't worry. It's coming!  
  
-LadyRainStarDragon- Sortof, she doesn't really check deeply, justs notes if I have made serious   
  
errors.  
  
-Sashi- see the funny thing is that I asked my author group that I occasionaly talk to for help   
  
on that kind of stuff, but noone would. They were all just like "Go look up stuff on a website"  
  
or "Get a dictionary".  
  
-Mystic Hanyou- I DO use a spell checker actually, the problem is its Word Perfect and not Microsoft  
  
Word, which is far better for a word processer.  
  
-Gavroche Rules- I dunno why it is on your screen. It isn't when I checked. Weird...  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
Mrs. Higurashi dabbed her eyes lightly with a tissue. "My baby's all grown up now." she said  
  
mournfully to her father. The old man nodded gravely. "It happens so soon." he added. Kagome gave an   
  
annoyed glance to her family. "I'm only 18!" she said, but it fell upon deaf ears. Kagome sighed and   
  
shook her head. "Well, it looks like everyone's about here, can we start or should we wait to see if   
  
anyone else shows up?" she asked. "Whatever you want dear. This is your first day as a full grown woman  
  
after all." replied the older woman. Kagome put a hand to her face. Her grandfather sniffled"And to think,  
  
it seems like only yesterday that my little Kagome had a bed wetting problem and would-" "GRANDPA!"   
  
Kagome cried in embarrassment, her cheeks turning scarlet. "Don't talk about that!"  
  
A few minutes later, Kagome stood next to her group of friends near the snack table. Music was   
  
playing and a few couples were dancing besides the dull weather while others tried out one of the   
  
several, more festival style, games that were out. Her grandfather, despite her pleading, was even   
  
telling the fortunes of eager young couples and her mother was ensuring everyone had plenty to eat. "I  
  
can't decide who I like more!" said Ayumi in a hushed whisper. "Mr. Shiro has that older, more mature   
  
look to him but Shippo is cute too! Do you think maybe I should get my fortune told by your grandpa   
  
Kagome?" she asked thoughtfully.   
  
"I can already tell you that he'll tell you to go for Shippo." said Kagome, sporting a wry   
  
smile on her face. "What?! Really?" asked Eri. "Has you're grandfather been training you in the mystic  
  
arts too?" Kagome scratched her head. "I guess you could say that, but, trust me, all three of you will  
  
be told to go for Shippo." "Well, there's only one way to find out!" said Yuka, and all three of them   
  
headed for the line of couples and a few loners. Kagome watched them go, occasionally accepting the   
  
offhand "Happy Birthday Kagome!" and it's variations. As the three girls reached the front of the line,  
  
Kagome felt a tap on her shoulder.  
  
Kagome turned to see Inuyasha with something in his hand. "Kagome, happy birthday. This-" It   
  
was at that, like always, that her friends appeared by her side and whatever Inuyasha had been holding   
  
disappeared into his coat. "You were right! Your grandfather said that you know who would bring us great  
  
happiness but you know who too would bring disaster and misfortune, not that I really believe in all of  
  
that stuff." said Eri. Yuka's smile turned devilish. "Hey, why don't you and Mr. Shiro get your fortune  
  
told?" she asked. Her suggestion was greeted with enthusiasm by the other two girls and before long the  
  
unwilling couple were standing in line.   
  
Shippo, who had been watching all of this from a nearby table, suddenly found himself completely  
  
defenseless. He gulped as the three girls closed in on him. "Err h-hello girls." stammered the helpless   
  
boy. As the following assault on Shippo's person, which is so terrible that it won't be described for the  
  
sakes of the more squeamish readers, occurred, Inuyasha and Kagome reached the front of the line. Inuyasha   
  
looked distrustfully at the old man sitting at the table in front of him while Kagome sat down on one of  
  
the chairs facing her grandfather, eager to get the whole thing over with.   
  
She patted the chair next to her and the hanyou reluctantly sat down. Kagome's grandfather,   
  
looking all but gleeful, cleared his throat. "You are about to be part of a tradition which is hundreds  
  
of years old and an important part of our culture. Furthermore-" Kagome sighed and let her mind wander   
  
while her grandfather continued to recite his speech which Kagome had heard more times that she cared to  
  
think about this type of fortune telling. The silliest thing about was that it wasn't even Japanese  
  
in origin, but from China and later brought to Japan. 'Still.' Kagome thought, glancing over at Inuyasha   
  
who was staring blankly at the old man. She had a feeling that if he had them his ears would be twitching   
  
in annoyance. 'If I have to go through this with anyone at least its Inuyasha.'  
  
"Now then." said her grandfather, snapping her out of her thoughts. "You'll need to hold hands   
  
for the spirits to decide." Kagome had a feeling that he had added that in, but Inuyasha took her hand in  
  
his with no complaints so she let it slide. The old man then closed his eyes and began a prayer for   
  
intervention from the spirit world, though this particular prayer seemed a bit longer and from what she  
  
could hear of it used the word 'please' a few too many times. Eventually, Inuyasha's patience ran out.   
  
"Just throw the sticks already." he growled, startling him out of his chant. "Oh very well." he said in  
  
a grumpy way, muttering something about no one having any respect for the old ways any more as he picked  
  
up the elongated cup holding a number of sticks and letting them drop and scatter about the table.  
  
All three of them leaned closer to see. After a few moments of study the old man practically   
  
jumped for joy. "Perfect! Rough times changing to perfect harmony!" he shouted to the world, drawing a few  
  
stares from the partygoers (and of course Kagome's three friends), as he raised his hands up in the air  
  
in jubilation. Kagome blinked. "Grandpa are you just saying that?" she asked suspiciously. He shook his   
  
head. "I admit it crossed my mind but the sticks clearly read it. You're perfect for each other!" Kagome's  
  
face turned a slight shade of red as she looked closer at the sticks to be sure. It took her a bit longer  
  
than him as she was out of practice and hadn't done it in a long time, but sure enough he was right.   
  
"Well." Kagome said, noticing that Inuyasha hadn't released her hand as she spoke. "It's just a   
  
silly tradition after all and it doesn't really mean anything." she said, though more for herself than   
  
anyone. Inuyasha, for his part, was quite pleased at the prediction. Perhaps this was a sign from above?  
  
Before anything else could happen, Kagome was swept away from the table by her friends to have a little  
  
chat. Seeing that he really didn't want to make conversation with the ecstatic old man who was practically  
  
calling him grandson already, Inuyasha stood up and made his way over to the table Shippo was sitting at.  
  
Inuyasha sat down next to the kitsune, who was looking slightly bedraggled and had his head face down on top  
  
of his arms resting at the table. "Why me?" he moaned.  
  
********************************************************************************************************  
  
Something in the vicinity of a half an hour had past and, if anything, the sky looked even more   
  
bleak and ominous than it had before. By this time, everyone had gathered at the round tables and most   
  
were nibbling on the various goodies Mrs. Higurashi had provided as Kagome began to open the presents.  
  
Mostly, she got the typical presents a 18 year old generally received from friends; music, jewelry,  
  
cosmetics, and a few other knick knacks as well. However, there were a few presents that stood out. Her  
  
grandfather, for once, actually gave her a normal present rather than some strange charm supposedly made  
  
up from body parts of a mystical creature which would have promptly become Buyo's afternoon snack. Instead  
  
he had given her a cook book which, of course, had a story to it. Something to do with it being a gift from  
  
royalty to a priest of the shrine that had banished a demon plaguing them. Still, it had a nice selection  
  
of traditional recipes that looked interesting enough. Shippo had given her a beautiful light blue long   
  
sleeved kimono made for time spent indoors during winter. It had small white frills that snaked down the   
  
sleeves and it seemed to shimmer much like the bedspread of Inuyasha's bed. It was undoubtedly the best  
  
article of clothing she was given at the party in her opinion.  
  
To Kagome's surprise, Hojo had sent her a gift, though he hadn't come. It turned out to be a   
  
woven charm that he had picked up on a college trip. Supposedly it promoted good health and warded off  
  
illness. Souta's gift was.. amusing. It turned out to be a box containing several of the little devices  
  
that sprang out when the lid was taken off. These particular ones were shaped as frogs and the like.   
  
Needless to say it caused quite a ruckus in a crowd containing most girls, but everyone had a good laugh  
  
once everyone was reassured that the things weren't still stuck in their hair. Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi had  
  
all pitched in to buy her a volume of 'how to' style books on love and relationships. It was the thought  
  
that counted in the end and Kagome thanked them for her new paperweight. Buyo, well actually her mother  
  
but it was customary in the Higurashi household that Buyo was also part of the family who gave and  
  
received gifts, had given her a new alarm clock, one that had a compartment that opened and revealed a  
  
dog that would bark when the alarm was set.  
  
Speaking of dogs, Kagome didn't fail to notice that Inuyasha's name, any of them, wasn't on any  
  
of the presents that she opened. It was a small disappointment, but one Kagome could deal with. Him being  
  
here was enough. "Well who wants some cake?" asked Mrs. Higurashi, holding a knife in her hand at the end  
  
of the present opening. A crack of thunder answered herand immediately rain began to fall heavily from   
  
the sky. "Oh dear, well at least it waited until nearly the end of the party. Kagome, you had better get   
  
your things inside the house. I'll serve cake." said her mother after looking around as the few guests not  
  
under shelter quickly rushed underneath the tarp over the tables.  
  
"We'll help Kagome." said Shippo, Inuyasha standing next to him. Kagome gave them a big smile.   
  
"Thanks, we just need to put them inside. I'll move them up to my room later." she said as they began   
  
picking up the various gifts. Laden with all of the goodies they then proceeded in through the side door,  
  
setting them in various levels of neatness next to it on the floor. As Kagome stood up from her neat pile,  
  
she noticed that Shippo had vanished with the stealth of a, well, kitsune, leaving herself and Inuyasha   
  
alone for the moment. "Well, lets get back to the party before the cake is all gone." Kagome said, turning  
  
to the door only the be stopped when Inuyasha placed a hand on her shoulder. "Wait." he said firmly. Kagome  
  
turned around to look at him and Inuyasha's hand went to his shirt pocket. "I want to-" Sadly, Kagome   
  
didn't get to hear the end of his sentence, it being blocked out by a particularly loud blast of thunder.  
  
"What?" Kagome asked the hanyou, who was now getting increasingly annoyed by the world's attempts  
  
to hinder him. Unfortunately, the world wasn't about to give him another chance at the moment as Mrs.   
  
Higurashi slid open to door, a burst of wind rushing in to ruffle the two's hair, with one hand, holding   
  
two plates of cake in the other. "There you are! The storm is getting pretty rough out so you might want  
  
to come out and say goodbye before people start going home. Oh, I saved you two some cake." said she,   
  
handing a plate to Inuyasha and the other to Kagome after she had stepped in and closed the door. "It   
  
wouldn't be good if the birthday girl didn't get to taste her own cake now would?" said Mrs. H with a   
  
light laugh. Kagome accepted the cake gratefully, scooping a big piece and putting it in her mouth, closing  
  
her eyes as she savored the taste. Her mother's cakes were the best.   
  
"All right mom." said the young miko, after she had swallowed of course. Mrs. Higurashi opened   
  
the door and stepped out, Kagome right behind her. She paused at the threshold and turned around to look  
  
at Inuyasha, who was sporting a very unhappy countenance. "You can stay in her if you want Inuyasha, just  
  
make sure you try the cake though. It's vanilla so you don't have to worry." she said, giving him her  
  
most winning smile and a wink before exiting and shutting the door. The hanyou stared after her through  
  
the door for several seconds before looking down at the cake in his hands. For a long time he simply   
  
looked at the intricately decorated cake before he slowly picked up the fork, scooped up a piece, and   
  
popped it into his mouth, looking back up through the door as he did.  
  
*********************************************************************************************************  
  
"Hey Shippo! That's you're car down there right? Do you think you could give me a ride home? I'd  
  
hate to have to walk all the way without an umbrella." Said Ayumi, all but latched on to the older, much  
  
older, boy. The boy sweat dropped as he tried to slowly inch away from her but failing since continued to  
  
draw closer as he drew away. "Er. Sure I gues Ayobi." "Ayumi." She corrected sweatly. "Err right, Ayumi."  
  
Eri and Yuka appeared to his sides as well. "Do you think you could give me a ride too?" asked Yuka,   
  
clasping her hands to her chest. Shippo sighed, he was doomed. "Sure why not Eri." "I'm Yuka." Shippo  
  
nodded and looked over in defeat to the third girl. "Would you like a ride too Yuka?" he asked. Eri   
  
nodded. "If you wouldn't mind, oh my names Eri by the way." Shippo opened his mouth but didn't get a   
  
sound off before Ayumi suddenly raised a fist and shouted: "I get the front seat!" causes the three   
  
girls to begin to squabble.  
  
Shippo took the chance to walk over to Kagome to say his farewell. "I had fun Kagome, thanks for  
  
inviting me. I'll see you later, I hope." Kagome smiled and shook her head. "If you want you can hide in  
  
the house and I'll tell them you left." she offered. Shippo chuckled. "They know I have a car, I'll be   
  
fine." and with a wave of goodbye, Shippo returned to the three girls and began his trek down the well  
  
stairs while trying to avoid 'accidently' bumping into the three suddenly very clumsy girls. Meanwhile,  
  
Mrs. Higurashi, who was a few feet away, turned to Inuyasha as he exited her home. "Inuyasha, would you  
  
care to stay for a while? It's dreadful weather and I'm sure Kagome wouldn't mind the company. I think   
  
there's something you wanted to do first anyhow." She said nodding her head towards his coat pocket and   
  
smiling. Inuyasha opened his mouth the question her but she raised her hand. "Don't worry about the how  
  
dear, just know that you're welcome to stay and I believe the storm is supposed to blow over in an hour  
  
or so, which I'm sure will work in perfectly with your plans." And with that she gave him a soft pat on  
  
the shoulder and began walking towards the tables to clean up leaving a stunned hanyou behind her.   
  
-  
  
-  
  
Finally, chapter 16 will be fluffed!   
  
While I normally do not do this, since the next chapter is going to be fairly lengthy and is so   
  
important to the fic, I'm going to toss in a little preview of it, a part that I have been planning since  
  
just about chapter 1 and seeing as I'm feeling a little sadistic at the moment...  
  
"Kagome." Inuyasha said softly, disturbing her from her thoughts. "Yes?" she asked, turning   
  
to him. "Here, this is for you." he said, handing her the small, neatly wrapped present he had been  
  
carrying around all day. Kagome, feeling a thrill surge through her as she unwrapped it. It was a  
  
small jewelry box, which she opened, her eyes widening at what she saw. 


	16. Across Time Part 16

Across Time Part 16  
  
Hello all! I wanted to get this out Monday but my brain stalled on the last 500 words, oh well you'll   
  
survive. Here it is! The FLUFF! Thanks to all who noted the typo last chapter, yes it was supposed to  
  
be something not someone!  
  
-Sashi-I'm not regularly on Aol. My parents have an account but I don't use it. Sign up for a free msn  
  
account and we can talk.  
  
-Valdimarian- I'm flattered that you dedicated a chapter to me and yes if anyone needs help with Japanese  
  
I'll send them to you, if I remember :P.  
  
-TheWraith1- I think mobbed would be the better term. And I've toned Mrs. Higurashi down a little from the  
  
total goof and matchmaker that she was in TFAC. She still has healthy portions of both qualities though.  
  
-snowecat- Yeah, I know it is a bother. I don't write it like that, I write it single space. Dunno why   
  
fanfiction.net makes it double. They just started doing it.  
  
-STJA- There are no temptresses here. Just a temptor. I'm a guy ;).  
  
-I am Sango- Grandpa didn't, tell he found out Inuyasha was filthy rich. They weren't suspicious because  
  
Kagome had told them he was a friend of the family. Her friends aren't suspicious. They believe Kagome has  
  
a crush on Mr. Shiro and enjoy teasing her about it like lots of girls do. That doesn't mean they think   
  
anything is happening though. Besides, Kagome IS 18 and Mr. Shiro is supposedly in his early 20s. Hope   
  
that unconfuzzles you.  
  
-Amygurl- Ehehe, you're right. The reason is that before I decided on Shiro, I was going to name him Mr.  
  
Ayumi, until I realized that was Kagome's friend's name.  
  
-anonymous- You're right, you caught me. Luckily, I have a mainly female audience which isn't interested   
  
in cars. Oh well, I'm sure Yuka and the others REALLY enjoyed the trip home then :D.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
Contrary to Mrs. Higurashi's statement, the sky grew darker and a flash of lightning burst across  
  
it, signaling the downpour of rain. Drops of water pelted the roof of the Higurashi home, creating something  
  
of a song with its patters for those who cared to listen, and had a bit of imagination. Kagome was one of   
  
those people as she sat within the comfort of her home in the kitchen listening and looking out one of the  
  
nearby windows, propping up her head with one of her hands. Her mother and Inuyasha, no longer in his   
  
transformed state, were also sitting at the table. Mrs. Higurashi kept the room from being overrun by the   
  
sound of raindrops alone while Inuyasha supposedly listened as he watched Kagome's serene countenance quite  
  
blatantly.  
  
Kagome's grandfather was outside in one of the shrine buildings praying. Normally, Kagome would   
  
accompany him, but as it was her birthday Souta had been drafted instead. It was a very old tradition for  
  
such prayers this time of year. It wasn't uncommon for the winter monsoon season to begun in November,   
  
which was nearly over, it being the 27th and all. Kagome suddenly became aware that something was rubbing  
  
against her leg. She blinked and then looked down to see Buyo, craving some attention. Kagome smiled and  
  
picked up the cat, setting him on her lap and stroking him. "But I've always thought pink was better. Don't  
  
you agree Kagome?" asked Mrs. H, turning towards her daughter.   
  
Kagome sweat dropped, having no clue if her mother was discussing something as simple as the color  
  
of roses or some band from her time, which was a perfectly good question considering she was talking to  
  
a person who had lived through that and many other ages of music, though Kagome suspected the hanyou wasn't  
  
a very avid music listener, but one never knew.. "Ah.. sure mom." Kagome said, scratching her head, causing  
  
a yowl of protest from her cat at the loss of the petting. Mrs. Higurashi gave a pleased smile, satisfied   
  
with her answer before continuing. "As I was saying Inuyasha, the-" A thunderbolt struck, hitting some   
  
distant target in the city, causing the lights to dim in the house before returning to their normal state.  
  
"Oh dear." Mrs. Higurashi said, putting a finger to her chin. "I hope we don't blow a fuse." Another  
  
bolt of lightning struck and, with a pop and fizz, the three people were clothed in absolute darkness.   
  
Inuyasha muttered something unpleasant under his breath, things were definitely not going as hoped. "What   
  
was that Inuyasha?" asked the woman. "Oh he just said he hoped Souta and Grandpa are all right out there."  
  
Kagome interjected, clearly not wanting Inuyasha to answer. Mrs. Higurashi reached out into the darkness   
  
and patted him on hand. "That's sweet of you dear, but I'm sure father and Souta will be fine." There was   
  
a shuffling sound, and Kagome assumed it was her mother standing up as her eyes had yet to adjust. "You two  
  
sit tight. I'll go and see if I can get the lights back on. Silly me, I left all of the matches out in the  
  
rain, but I keep some spares near the fuse box in case of something like this. I'll be back in a minute."  
  
Kagome listened to her mother's light steps as the slowly faded away, leaving the two of them in   
  
complete silence other than their breathing. Another lightning bolt appeared, illuminating the room and   
  
causing eerie shadows to dance around the room. Kagome crossed her harms and hugged herself, bringing her  
  
legs close to her as she did and forcing Buyo to vacate his spot, much to his annoyance. She had always   
  
been a bit afraid of the dark, her imagination always started to play tricks on her. In fact, she had had   
  
a night light until she was twelve, which was when her brother had gotten rid of hers, so naturally she   
  
had to do the same being the older sibling. She had spent quite a few nights after that in terror before the   
  
fear finally subsided, but at times like these it still reared its head once in a while, though not as bad   
  
as when she was a little girl. Was that something moving in the corner? Kagome took a deep breath and let  
  
it out slowly. There was nothing there, she was just being childish.  
  
The nervous miko then felt a presence sliding around her waist. She nearly jumped from her spot on  
  
the floor and had to bite her tongue not to yelp in surprise. Her pupils had dilated enough that she could  
  
see that the object was nothing more than the comforting clawed hand of a certain hanyou. Relief filled the  
  
girl and the sense of safety offered far overpowered the embarrassment she felt from their close proximity   
  
as she allowed herself to scoot closer to Inuyasha, a light blush on her face. The fact that it was dark at  
  
least made sure that Inuyasha couldn't see the blush, or could he with those piercing eyes of his?   
  
Regardless, the shadows seemed to melt into place, revealing their movement to be nothing more than an   
  
effect of Buyo prowling about the room.  
  
Now that the moment had passed, Kagome realized how silly she had been, acting like a frightened   
  
damsel in distress, and began to scoot away. She didn't get far, in fact she didn't get anywhere at all. It  
  
seemed the all powerful hand would allow her to move closer by her own free will but it was firmly in place   
  
to prevent her from escaping. The bright color of her cheeks seemed to nearly brighten the room as Kagome   
  
pondered the implications of this. Inuyasha had his arm around her and wasn't willingly allowing her to move  
  
away, could that actually mean what her mind was telling her? 'Inuyasha wants to snuggle with me?' The   
  
thought was amazing and wonderful at the same time.   
  
"Oi, are you alive?" asked the hanyou to the shocked girl. Kagome blinked. She didn't detect any  
  
hint of embarrassment or shyness in his voice, was this just a casual act of friendship or was it romantic?  
  
She felt so confused. "I'm fine." Kagome managed to choke out in a whisper. What to do, what to do? If this  
  
was what it seemed like then it would hurt him if she sat here like she was a statue, but what if she was  
  
misinterpreting? Kagome bit her lip in indecision before realizing the best course of action would be to   
  
do something that could be seen as either romantic or just friendly, something that she had done a long   
  
time ago without any repercussions per se. And so Kagome let her head rest ever so lightly against   
  
Inuyasha's shoulder and was rewarded by Inuyasha's grip on her increasing slightly.  
  
A few moments passed as the two shared this tender moment, but the silence was broken up when   
  
Kagome gave a small laugh. Inuyasha shifted to peer at her through the dark. "What?" he asked, wishing that  
  
they could stay like this all night, and all day, and all of the next night, and perhaps forever. It was a  
  
small piece of heaven to him, a gulp of water to a dehydrated man in the desert. Kagome smiled. "It's just..  
  
that I remember last time I was nervous in the dark when we were watching that dead princess.." Inuyasha   
  
smirked. "Things have changed." he said, giving her a vague reply. "Have they?" the girl asked, feeling her  
  
heart skip a beat. She saw Inuyasha nod in the dim light. "It was a hard lesson to learn, things would have  
  
been different if I had learned it sooner." he murmured, reaching up with his other hand to run his hand   
  
through her hair and snagging to bow that was keeping her hair in a ponytail, causing her hair to fall about   
  
shoulders.  
  
It appeared Kagome's heart had somehow obtained a jackhammer at this point, a fact that Inuyasha did  
  
not fail to notice. "I can hear you're heart beating, are you all right?" he asked, a hint of hurt in his  
  
voice. "No! I'm fine." Kagome said hurriedly. "It's just that I.." Kagome let her voice die, not sure what  
  
to say. Inuyasha didn't seem to mind her lack of response and the two fell into a comfortable silence,   
  
Inuyasha dropping his hand from its position in her hair a few moments later and Kagome allowed herself to  
  
rest more heavily against the hanyou, who didn't complain. Gradually, the last of her nervousness died away,  
  
allowing Kagome to fully appreciate the fact that they were cuddling.   
  
"Inuyasha?" said softly, looking up at the content hanyou. The hanyou glanced at her. "Hn?" he   
  
asked. She smiled. "You never did tell me why you really became a substitute at my school." she said.   
  
Inuyasha's eyes seemed to glint in the pale moonlight. "Isn't it obvious? I want to be near you baka (now   
  
I normally refuse from using japanese terms other than names, but I' m making an exception because 'idiot'  
  
or 'stupid' is too harsh sounding)." he replied, shifting his body to face her. Kagome's cheeks began to  
  
regain their rosy color. "R-realy?" she asked. Inuyasha nodded. And then the magnetic force that seems to  
  
appear in situations similar to this appeared and Inuyasha leaned closer, his other arm wrapping around her  
  
as well. 'Now that I think of it, it was pretty obvious...' was Kagome's final fleeting thought as she   
  
tilted her head slightly.  
  
Suddenly, there was the spark and hiss of a match coming to life and the room was illuminated by  
  
its brightness. "Well I found the matches, but I could use some help with the fuse box, would you mind   
  
Inuyasha?." said the perpetually cheerful woman. She then cocked her head in confusion at the scene she  
  
was now in view of. Not a scene of two lovers embraced in a kiss, quite different really. Their surprise  
  
had caused them to leap in opposite directions. Kagome had landed safely on the floor (quite comfortably  
  
actually considering she had landed on poor Buyo, who was less comfortable). Inuyasha's landing had been   
  
less graceful. He had landed on the edge of the table, causing him to topple backwards so that his legs  
  
were on the table and the rest of him was on the floor. "Goodness! Have you two been fighting again?"  
  
********************************************************************************************************  
  
"Well, it looks like the rain is finally dying down." said Mrs. Higurashi, peering between the  
  
blinds she was holding open with two fingers. She removed them, causing the blinds to snap back into   
  
place. "It looks like you are free to go if you like Inuyasha, you're welcome to stay for dinner if you  
  
like, though with all of the commotions I'm afraid I haven't cooked anything so we'll just be having  
  
heated leftovers." said the woman, turning her head to where the entire family and Inuyasha were  
  
sitting around the table playing a card game to pass the time (Inuyasha had been coaxed into playing by  
  
Souta after some time) now that the power had been restored. "That is, unless you have other plans, of  
  
course." she added with a wink. Inuyasha stared at her, while Souta beside him stared at the hanyou's   
  
unprotected hand, earning him a light whack from his grandfather. How did this woman know so much about   
  
his plans? Was she a blasted psychic?  
  
"I do, I want to take Kagome to dinner." Inuyasha said unsurely. Kagome blinked in surprise,  
  
but for once her reaction wasn't physically noticeable. "Well isn't that a nice treat." said her  
  
grandfather cheerfully. Kagome considered asking him if he meant for her or himself. "I agree. It is   
  
sweet of you to take her out to dinner on her birthday Inuyasha." said Mrs. Higurashi. "You have my   
  
permission to take her if she wants to go. Just take care in this weather, she won't be missing anything  
  
here anyways." During this, Souta snuck switched cards from his hand with cards in the pile, but no one  
  
noticed, besides Buyo perhaps. "I'd love to go Inuyasha. Let's just finish this hand or Souta will never  
  
play cards with me again." said Kagome, fixing her hair, which she had retied into a ponytail, absently,  
  
the blush finally appearing on her face. Souta grinned as he showed the others his hand. "Automatic  
  
win!" he cried triumphantly.  
  
A few minutes later, Inuyasha, now transformed again, and Kagome stood at the front door with  
  
Mrs. Higurashi. The older woman handed Inuyasha an umbrella. "Better take this, it's still raining out  
  
after all." said Mrs. Higurashi with a smile. "Be careful now!" she called to them as Kagome said her  
  
goodbye and the two exited the house. "It sure is dark out for being so early Kagome said as she walked  
  
underneath the umbrella, holding her dress up slightly to keep it from getting wet or dirty. Kagome   
  
didn't fail to notice that Inuyasha was only partially covered by the umbrella (she suspected her mother  
  
had given him the small one on purpose) despite their relative closeness, but she didn't comment on it.  
  
If he wanted to act chivalric who was she to complain? "At least its warm out and there isn't any wind."  
  
she added as the made their way down the shrine steps.  
  
Near the bottom she spotted a green Lincoln Town Car parked at the foot of the shrine steps. "Is  
  
that yours?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha nodded. "I rented it for tonight." he explained as the reached the  
  
bottom and Inuyasha opened the door for Kagome to step inside. He didn't explain, though, that he was   
  
banned permanently (or at least until Shippo was in need of a favor) from using the young kitsune's   
  
vehicle. "It's very nice." Kagome commented as Inuyasha entered through the driver's door and started   
  
the car, flicking on the lights as well (And they really are nice cars, though I wouldn't buy one if I  
  
had a chance probably. They're like mini-limos). "So want to tell me where you are taking me?" asked   
  
Kagome as the hanyou pulled them onto the main road. Said hanyou smirked. "No."  
  
*******************************************************************************************************  
  
Traffic had been kind to them, and within ten minutes they had arrived at their destination.   
  
At first, Kagome had been confused when they had parked in the garage of a office building, an fancy   
  
and majestic office building but an office building nonetheless. Eventually, Kagome had realized that   
  
it was not the office building itself that they were interested in, but what was on top of it, the   
  
Heichinrou, one of the most well known restaurants in Tokyo with a traditional cuisine. 'It's   
  
beautiful.' Kagome thought as she gazed at the phenomenal view they had of the rest of the city. Why,   
  
not far off was the Imperial Hotel jutting upwards into the sky among the various other landmarks of   
  
Japan's capital city.  
  
"Good evening, something to drink? We have a fine selection of sake and imported wines."   
  
said their waiter, who was dressed in all white besides a black collar on his shirt. "None for me   
  
please, I'll just have water." said Kagome. Inuyasha, of course, ordered his beverage of choice. The   
  
man smiled and nodded. "Very well, I'll be out with your meal and drinks shortly." Kagome looked over  
  
at Inuyasha as the man left. "But we haven't ordered yet." Kagome said in confusion. "It was ordered   
  
when the reservations were made. We're having kaisen ryori." replied the transformed hanyou.  
  
Kagome wasn't familiar with a dish called that, but she trusted Inuyasha's judgment in the   
  
matter. As it turned out, kaisen ryori wasn't a single dish, but a combination of multiple sea food  
  
dishes, plenty for two people. Kagome had the time of her life with Inuyasha's company. The kind of   
  
time that one wished could continue for every but knew had to end to make room for all of the other  
  
joys life would bring. In fact, of all the birthdays she had and all of the ones she ever would have,  
  
today's was the one that she looked back on the most fondly. Sadly, it came to an end far too quickly.  
  
And so, some two hours later, Kagome found herself back in the car and sporting a large smile  
  
on her face. 'Can this get any better?' Kagome mused as they turned the corner. Her thoughts seemed  
  
to be answered as they suddenly found themselves in the middle of a traffic jam. The rain had finally  
  
stopped and all of those stranded while it was pouring were now trying to make their ways home.  
  
"Damn." Inuyasha muttered as he leaned back against the chair. They weren't going anywhere soon.  
  
Things had gone perfectly until now too. Inuyasha glanced at Kagome, who's beauty seemed to be   
  
magnified by the spotlight-like effect a nearby street lamp was causing, as she gazed out into the   
  
dark metropolis. Then again, perhaps things still were...  
  
"Kagome." Inuyasha said softly, disturbing her from her thoughts. "Yes?" she asked, turning   
  
to him. "Here, this is for you." he said, handing her the small, neatly wrapped present he had been  
  
carrying around all day. Kagome, feeling a thrill surge through her as she unwrapped it. It was a  
  
small jewelry box, which she opened, her eyes widening at what she saw.   
  
(A/N I thought about being terribly cruel right here and ending the chapter, allowing you to debate   
  
in your mind what was in it, many no doubt would have guessed it to be a wedding ring I'm sure and I  
  
would have delighted in it, but I am feeling nice for once and want to completely finish this moment)  
  
It was the Shikon no Tama, no longer tied to a string or in a medicine jar, but now the   
  
centerpiece for a beautifully styled golden necklace. "The Shikon no Tama!" Kagome cried in shock and  
  
pleasure, turning to the hanyou. "I had almost completely forgotten about it, you kept it all this  
  
time? I-" and then it suddenly clicked in her mind and her eyes seemed to double in size as she   
  
returned her gaze back to the jewel. "This is why you don't look any different isn't it? It's kept  
  
you the same." Inuyasha nodded as the girl brought it close to her face. "But how? I didn't think it  
  
could do something like that without losing its purity or being used up."  
  
Inuyasha shrugged. "I don't know how, but we were wrong and I'm glad we were." he said  
  
softly. "But I don't need it anymore, I want you to have it." Kagome's cheeks once again became   
  
sprinkled with red. "Thank you Inuyasha, I think I like it the most of my presents. Would you.. help  
  
me put it on?" Inuyasha nodded and reached for the necklace, but was stopped when he heard the   
  
beeping of a horn behind him. He looked up and saw that whatever had been causing the traffic jam had  
  
been rectified and traffic was moving as normal again. "It's all right, I can get it myself." Kagome  
  
said, unhooking the chain and wrapping it around her neck.  
  
Inuyasha glared at the car behind him, just when he thought the world was attempting to   
  
apologize for all it had done to him by giving him this moment, it had to go and prove him wrong.  
  
The rest of the ride home was quiet, almost to a uncomfortable silence. Kagome became less and less  
  
talkative, and in the end stopped making conversation completely as the drive continued. Instead,   
  
she became introspective as she gazed at the gift around her neck.  
  
The silence continued up the steps of the shrine and to the very doorstep of her home. It   
  
was only then that she turned to him. "Inuyasha, there's something I need to know, though it might  
  
hurt you. I just can't go on without knowing and I'm sorry that I'm asking this but I have to." she   
  
said quickly, gazing at her shoes. Inuyasha nodded in concern as he put the umbrella down, seeing as  
  
the house shielded them from the rain. "What is it?" he asked. Kagome took a deep breath and looked   
  
him straight in the eyes, her own wavering slightly.  
  
"I know that you love Kikyou Inuyasha, I've accepted that and I know you don't see me as just  
  
a replacement. But I have to know if there is still room in your heart for me." Inuyasha's facial  
  
expression resembled one of horror. All this time, for years that question must have been within her,  
  
for it wasn't something one thought of over night, tearing at her soul for so long, but he had been   
  
blind to it. He gently wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. The girl collapsed against   
  
him as if telling him this had been a tremendous physical effort as well as mental. "Listen to me   
  
Kagome." he whispered softly in her ear. "I don't know if I truly loved Kikyou, I don't know if I ever  
  
will. But I do know that I wouldn't have waited 500 years to see her again. You promised me that you  
  
would be by my side forever if I let you, I want you by my side."  
  
Inuyasha felt the girl inhale sharply at his words. She looked up at him with an expression  
  
beyond description and he down at her. And, ever so slowly, she reached up and removed the previously  
  
hidden leaf from his head, transforming him back to himself, then she leaned up towards him and made  
  
their lips meet. It was gentle and tender, but full of so much feeling, it was the lightest of kisses,  
  
for a few seconds that is. Inuyasha couldn't help himself, it was just too much for his human portion   
  
to handle. A flood of pent of feelings and passions forced down for half a millennia finally broke   
  
free and rushed to the surface. He roughly pushed her back the few inches to the door, pressing her   
  
against it while the kiss became far more fiery. The already emotional girl was completely  
  
overwhelmed by this surge of passion, her once closed eyes widening in confusion. The hanyou's  
  
thumbs had just begun to gently rub her back when the door opened behind Kagome.  
  
As the eldest of the Higurashi's opened the door to see what the commotion was, Kagome was   
  
released from the kiss and toppled backwards onto her rear end inside. "Ah, Inuyasha!" he exclaimed   
  
happily before glancing down at his shell shocked grand daughter. "I hope I wasn't interrupting   
  
anything." said the mischievous old man, a gleam appearing in his eyes. "Oh, father move out of the   
  
way and leave the poor boy alone." scolded Mrs. Higurashi, lightly pushing the old man out of the   
  
door way, despite his protests. "I thought it might be you." said the woman, not noticing her   
  
daughter on the ground who was practically panting as she stared at the hanyou. "Thank you for   
  
bringing Kagome home at a reasonable time, would you like to come in for a bit?" Inuyasha's gaze   
  
never left Kagome's the entire time. He too was breathing slightly harder as he finally came to his   
  
senses and began to regret ruining their first kiss in some ways. But DAMN had it felt ever so good  
  
even if it had been too much for the girl. He'd have to make sure he was much more gentle from now  
  
on, for the moment at least. He had to show her that he could, lest he undo all of the progress of  
  
tonight. "No, I think I had better go." said Inuyasha, still gazing at the ravished girl.   
  
Mrs. Hugurashi nodded and smiled. "I understand, please keep the umbrella though. I'd hate  
  
to see you have to walk through all of this without one. Kagome can bring it back next time she   
  
visits. A few moments later, Inuyasha said his goodbye and began walking down to his car,   
  
retransformed, umbrella in hand and a smile on his face. To use one of Shippo's favorite   
  
metaphors, which suddenly had become so much more clear in its meaning, a new chapter was about to   
  
begin, all he had to do was turn the page.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
There you go! Long chapter 


	17. Across Time Part 17

Across Time Part 17  
  
I debated a long time about this chapter, I couldn't decide whether I wanted to do a weekend scene or   
  
jump it to Friday. Writer's block is a wonderful thing aint it? Sorry I didn't check this, I'm running  
  
out the door as I post this. See you all after Spring Break! I'll respond to reviews then and fix  
  
the errors.  
  
*A/N- Fixed errors May 1st  
  
Monday  
  
Inuyasha reclined against the wall up on the top of the rows of bleachers, hidden from casual   
  
viewing. The first few students began to filter into the gym, Kagome wasn't one of them. A fact which  
  
only worsened his already less than chipper attitude. He hadn't seen her since Friday night. When   
  
Saturday had came and Kagome hadn't arrived at her usually early time, Inuyasha had resolved to remain  
  
patient, after all, he had given her a lot to think about, things he had had 500 years to contemplate.  
  
His patience had run out at about 11:00 in the morning. To his great frustration, Inuyasha had found   
  
that he had been secretly sealed within the confines of his home and that his Tetsusaiga had been   
  
confiscated lest he level the city in his rage to get out.  
  
During a particularly painful headlock, Shippo, who had figured out the jist of what had   
  
happened by himself (it didn't take a genius), had managed to choke out the purpose of the barrier  
  
had been to keep the boy from doing anything drastic and, after a good long game of chase the kitsune,  
  
Inuyasha had released enough stress to follow Shippo's suggestion of a phone call before, figuratively  
  
speaking, he released the hounds. And so called he had, and had discovered the cause of Kagome's   
  
absence.  
  
Mrs. Higurashi had informed him that Kagome hadn't been feeling well. She had had a slightly  
  
feverish look and feeling to her and apparently hadn't slept well. Therefore, she was confined to   
  
home for the weekend to make sure she didn't become worse and that visitors, yes even Mrs. Higurashi's  
  
beloved hanyou, were not to disturb the girl to insure she obtained all of the rest she needed. And so  
  
Inuyasha had found himself away from the girl for the longest period since their reunion. It had not   
  
been a fun two days to say the least, more so for Shippo who had basically made himself a martyr by   
  
sealing himself into an enclosed space with the antsy hanyou. The isolation could have been worse,   
  
however. At the very least, Inuyasha had managed to occupy some of his time as he savored the memory   
  
of last night. The rest of the time had mainly been spent on the hunt for the Tetsusaiga in one way or  
  
another.   
  
But the point was that she wasn't here NOW. He hadn't seen or otherwise detected her all day   
  
at the school and, quite simply, if she wasn't here this class hour then the class was going to be out  
  
one substitute teacher for the day. The first bell rang and Inuyasha watched all of his non-Kagome   
  
students drift into the class, including Kagome's three friends. The late bell rang and Kagome had   
  
still not arrived. Inuyasha was about to get up and quit this damn waiting patiently crap Shippo had  
  
begged, and forced him to do for a while, him to follow. His human mind might see some of the benefits  
  
of such a thing, but to his youkai blood her absence was like someone scratching on a chalkboard and   
  
gradually increasing the noise, agitating the hanyou further as time went on. But at the last moment,   
  
a familiar scent assaulted his senses, Kagome's scent.  
  
Inuyasha turned his head just in time to see the girl peek through the gym doors before   
  
walking in, looking around as she did. Inuyasha turned on his side and propped up his head with his   
  
right hand. Eventually, the girls eyes settled onto the now visible school teacher. A smirk probably  
  
wasn't the best facial expression choice Inuyasha could have chose, but it was the one he did and it  
  
caused the girl to blush and look away, walking towards he friends as she did. A normal person  
  
wouldn't have noticed, but Kagome's body posture and way of walking changed slightly now that she was  
  
aware of his presence. The girl probably didn't even realize she was, but it was very seductive to   
  
the hanyou, especially how her hips waggled ever so slightly more than necessary.  
  
With these negative and positive occurrences, Inuyasha leapt down from his spot, startling much  
  
of the class and causing a few screams of surprise. Inuyasha picked up the folder he had tossed onto   
  
the lowest bleacher row earlier. Roll was called and the students began to do their customary running.  
  
Kagome stayed in the center of the group where Inuyasha couldn't get to her, but her hips were still   
  
wiggling. Seeing that it was Monday, once the students finished their running they began to break up   
  
into various groups. Inuyasha opened the door and stood by it as the students entered and obtained   
  
what the required. Kagome didn't come, one of her friends had gotten what their group needed.   
  
This cat and mouse game was entertaining, but Inuyasha felt the need to end it, even if it was  
  
by cheating. "Miss Higurashi." he called, mimicking the tone of Mr. Orumi (The math teacher). Kagome  
  
straightened slightly at his call. "Come to my office." There was the typical jeering from her  
  
classmates that occurred when called, supposedly for punishment, as Kagome made her way to the door,   
  
seeing that she really had no choice in the matter, which Inuyasha had passed through a few moments   
  
before. Kagome hesitated for a brief moment at the door, already beginning to blush, before entering   
  
and closing the door behind her. Inuyasha was standing next to the door silently with his arms folded.   
  
"You're avoiding me." said the hanyou flatly. It wasn't a question, but Kagome nodded slightly  
  
anyway, not knowing what else to do. "Why?" asked Inuyasha. The light blush on her cheeks increased   
  
in intensity. "I.. It wasn't what I expected." she finally admitted. Inuyasha's expression turned into  
  
a mixture of grimness and guilt. "It wasn't supposed to be like that, it just happened." he said, the  
  
closest thing to an unsolicited apology that Kagome was probably going to get. Kagome nodded once   
  
again and the two entered into silence for a few uncomfortable moments. Finally, Inuyasha stepped   
  
closer and gently gripped her by the shoulders. "It won't be like that next time, I'll prove it to   
  
you." said the determined hanyou, leaning closer to show her.   
  
Kagome moved her head away in surprise. "You can't!" she cried. Inuyashas stared at her in   
  
confusion. "Why not?" "Because, even if you weren't my teacher at the moment, we can't be doing that   
  
here! And what if someone were to open the door? Do you know how much trouble we'd both be in?   
  
Inuyasha snorted and moved a hand upwards to cup her chin. "To hell with them and their rules." he   
  
growled, and then he kissed her.  
  
*****************************************************************************************************  
  
"So Kagome, did you get detention for being tardy?" asked Eri once the girl had returned to   
  
their group, who was supposedly playing basketball. Kagome shook her head. "No, I guess you could   
  
say I just got a reprimand." she said, her lips twitching into a smile. "Wow." said Ayumi, absently  
  
dribbling the ball, before making a half hearted shot towards the nearby hoop and missing it completely.  
  
"He must have really chewed you out, it took a long time. Hey Suke! Could you throw me that ball   
  
back!? Thanks!" Yuka, ever the teaser, grinned. "Or maybe that wasn't the only thing that happened in  
  
their eh Kagome?" she asked playfully, wrapping an arm around her.  
  
Thankfully, Yuka misread Kagome's resulting expression and laughed. "I knew it! You have a  
  
crush on Mr. Shiro!" said the girl in a singsong voice. Ayumi gave a small giggle as well as she caught  
  
the ball thrown back to her. "Careful Kagome. You wouldn't want to get in trouble for an inappropriate  
  
student teacher relationship." said Ayumi to the increasingly flustered girl. Eri raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Hypocrite." It was then Eri noticed a certain accessory around Kagome's neck. "Hey Kagome, that's a   
  
very pretty necklace. It looks really nice on you. Isn't the centerpiece one of those Shikon things  
  
your grandpa used to sell at the gift shop?" Kagome, eager to change the subject, nodded. "Yes it is,  
  
I got it for my birthday." she said. Yuka scratched her head. "I thought your grandpa gave you a cook  
  
book for-"   
  
It was then that the school intercom system gave a shrill beep, indicating an announcement.   
  
"Attention students." came Mr. Ishimaru's somewhat distorted voice over the speaker as the noise level  
  
in the gym lowered. "Due to increasingly adverse weather conditions from the snow, school is to be   
  
dismissed after your current class as the plow trucks will not be able to clear the streets in time for  
  
a safe dismissal at the normal time today. Hopefully tomorrow school will be open as normal. Regular   
  
bussing will be available except for the following districts." As the principal began to list of the  
  
names, Kagome turned to her friends in surprise. "I didn't know it was snowing out." Eri made a face  
  
at Kagome. "It's been snowing out since second hour Kagome. How could you have missed it? Even Ayumi   
  
noticed." said the girl, earning an indignant "Hey!" from Ayumi.   
  
Kagome rubbed the back of her head. "I guess I was a little distracted this morning." she   
  
admitted. "Hey Kagome, your district was just called. You're going to have to walk home or pray that   
  
the city buses are still making rounds." said Yuka. Kagome groaned and put a hand to her face. "And I   
  
didn't even bring a sweater today." she moaned. Ayumi made another shot at the hoop, this time hitting   
  
the rim and causing the ball the bounce back at her. She managed to dodge in time, but the student   
  
behind her wasn't so lucky. "Oops! Sorry Toshio!" she said the boy, who was rubbing his head and   
  
glaring at her. She then turned to Kagome. "Hey Kagome, want to come home with me? The bus is still   
  
running in my district." offered the girl. "In addition, all faculty members are to report for a   
  
brief meeting after the bell." added the principal before signing off.  
  
Kagome paused for a moment, considering her options, before nodding. "Sure I guess I can visit  
  
for a while." she replied, seeing that Inuyasha, who was probably not pleased about having to stay,   
  
wasn't going to be available for a while (brief, right...). She didn't really want to trudge through  
  
the snow. Her body heat could only warm so much of the body and winter school uniforms, though  
  
warm, didn't do much for the lower extremities. The rest of the hour passed uneventfully, besides a   
  
few kids receiving concussions from Ayumi's basketball of terror that is, and soon Kagome found herself  
  
walking towards the door, now wearing her dark green winter sailor fuku. "Hey Kagome, I'll meet you at  
  
the bus." said Ayumi, tapping her on the shoulder. "I need to go to the office about an unexcused   
  
absense I was marked for." Kagome nodded and gave a wave as the girl walked off. Kagome allowed most of  
  
the class to drift out before heading towards the door herself.  
  
Inuyasha was leaning against the wall next to the doors with his arms folded as he watched   
  
boredly as the class filtered out to freedom. "Oi, where are you going?" he asked as Kagome began to   
  
pass by. Kagome stopped and moved out of the way of the door so the few people behind her could get  
  
past. "Well, first I'm going to get my bag, and then I'm going to ride the bus to Ayumi's house. I   
  
haven't spent much time with any of my friends since you came back and I don't want to walk through  
  
the snow by myself so this way I kill two birds with one stone." she replied. Inuyasha pouted, clearly  
  
hurt and disappointed. "I'm not going to stay for long. Why don't you come to the shrine once the  
  
meeting is over. I need to get my jacket and change into something warmer before I go anywhere. Ok?" she  
  
said before Inuyasha had a chance to respond and suggest that he just skip the meeting (she could   
  
see it in his eyes that he was going to suggest it) and argue until she felt guilty enough to agree or  
  
just wait for him. Inuyasha was silent for a moment, watching the last student walk out, before opening  
  
his mouth. "You could-" Kagome silenced him with a clumsy kiss on the cheek, and with that she gave him   
  
a wave and a sheepish smile before walking out the door. 


	18. Across Time Part 18

Across Time Part 18  
  
Hello again, been a while eh? Sorry about the long wait. After I got home from Spring Break we had our  
  
Drama production, Grease, that week and after that I that I had SATS, birthday parties, improv comedy   
  
practices, and a girlfriend to chase around as well. Needless to say I've been busy. Next week isn't   
  
looking good either. Nor the one after it. I have Prom on the 8th and an improv comedy show on the   
  
15th so don't be shocked if you don't see another chapter for a long while. Oh well, at least this is  
  
long...  
  
Also, I've been getting a lot of reviews mentioning beta readers. Not going to happen folks, sorry.   
  
I spell check with ms word and that's it, I'm not going to make people wait additional days for   
  
corrections. However, if you spot a glaring error in a chapter please mention it to me. I'd appreciate  
  
that and I'll correct it. We'll make a game out of it and keep score of who finds the errors first   
  
and how many :D. Ready, set, Spellcheck!  
  
As I said above I have a girlfriend now, meaning I spend most of my free time on her now (sorry all   
  
you disappointed single ladies out there ;) ). However, indirectly this does benefit you romance   
  
lovers. For one, I will finally be able to be a bit more detailed in the whole physical affection   
  
thing (though I still won't describe a kiss so nyeh!). It also gives me a chance to practice what I  
  
preach and gives me quite a few new ideas as well. I'd like to gloat to say that all of them have   
  
worked out flawlessly so far :).  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-TheWraith1- No clue if they do or not, but we have Japanese cars so maybe there's a lincoln or two   
  
around...  
  
-Endless Moonlight- Nope, there won't be a lemon in my fic, I refuse to write one. Besides, I don't   
  
want to lose all my lovely reviews over it. *strokes computer* Yessss my Preciousss.  
  
-Valdimarian- To tell you the truth I tried to write the whole dinner scene but it was too much   
  
dialouge for me to think of. I mean, it isn't like Inuyasha is all that knowledgable about what's   
  
going on in the world. Assume they talked about the Warring States era. Also, chapter 17 was what  
  
I like to call a filler chapter :D.  
  
-Amygurl- 'Fraid he's going to get scary and cute at least one more time. It's like the ebbing and   
  
flowing of the tide ;).  
  
-Kobayashi Eiko- Thank's, I fixed the error. Or at least I think I did... Part of the problem is   
  
probably because I write in word pad. It's one of those obsessive compulsive author things. I could  
  
easily write in ms Word or something, but I'm stubborn because this is how I wrote my first chapters.  
  
-Sailor Saturn-Star- That is true, I believe hanyou's age more like youkai than humans, but it was  
  
five hundred years and Shippo grew quite a few years over the time and I really didn't want a mid   
  
twenty year old hanyou chasing around an 18 year old girl.  
  
-Airen2- I think you misread it. What it meant was that because Souta got rid of his, and he is younger  
  
than Kagome, sibling pride forced her to give up hers.  
  
-Sashi- No you're wrong, I'm not going to do one of those walk in on the teacher with a student affair  
  
kind of things. Good idea but I'm walking a different path this fic.  
  
-I am Sango- That's too bad, maybe something will happen and you'll get to go. I wish you luck.  
  
-priestessmykala- There may be some light lime in the distant future, don't expect much. PG-13 is   
  
pushing my conscience enough ;).  
  
-cap'nyossarian- Actually I do have a few Inuyasha fic ideas lieing around. They're multi chapter so  
  
I won't write them till AT is over. I also have a few original ideas I kinda like.  
  
-inudog- No his part is done.  
  
-not_my_cup_of_tea - No offense taken. It really pays off when you have a girlfriend let me tell you.  
  
Maybe another day I'll tell you some of my romantic ploys.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
Outside the school building the world appeared to be to have been blotted out by some gigantic  
  
eraser, leaving nothing but white in its place. Kagome blinked several times as the wind blew an endless  
  
amount of snow flakes into her eyes as she searched through the chaos for the correct bus, or more  
  
properly the correct yellow blur (yes there are at least some yellow school buses in Japan. I searched   
  
for a half an hour to confirm it. They look cooler than ours though.). "Kagome!" called Ayumi, her voice  
  
reaching Kagome faintly through the gale, as she trudged through the growing blanket of snow. Kagome   
  
turned towards the girl, wrapping her arms around herself in a futile attempt to keep warm. "There you   
  
are! It's really blowing out here isn't it? Reminds me of Asahikawa." she said, smiling and not seeming  
  
to mind the cold all that much despite the lack of a coat. But then, Ayumi had live in a much colder part   
  
of Japan before moving to Tokyo.  
  
"Well, come on. Let's find the bus, I'm wearing normal shoes and snow is going to get in them."  
  
said she, grabbing Kagome by the arm and leading the way past several buses. "There it is." said Ayumi,  
  
pointing towards the farthest bus. 'Figures.' thought Kagome grimly as she followed her friend past the  
  
other buses. "Hurry up you two! I haven't got all day." called the bus driver as he leaned through the  
  
open door. "Coming!" they both called to the sour man as they picked up their pace until they were   
  
nearly running, kicking up snow as they went. "Bout time, everyone else is already aboard. If you took  
  
any longer the snow'd be too heavy to drive in." grumbled the man as the two girls stepped into the   
  
bus, apologizing as they did.  
  
They had barely gotten seated when the bus began to move. The Kagome brushed the snow off of  
  
her uniform, relieved that their school had invested into heated buses. "Christmas Vacation is nearly  
  
here Kagome. I can't wait for almost three weeks of no school, no homework, and no Mr. Orumi!" said the  
  
girl excitedly, removing one of her shoes and scraping the unwelcome snow from the inner sole of it.   
  
Kagome smiled at her friends enthusiasm. It definitely would be something to look forward to, Mr. Oyumi  
  
had been hitting them especially hard recently. Luckily, she had Shippo to assist her in that department.  
  
It would be a pity that Inuyasha would no longer be subbing for gym, but she'd definitely have lower   
  
blood pressure.  
  
"You know, we were thinking about finding a place up in the mountains. Maybe somewhere near a   
  
ski hill. It might be the last Christmas we'll all be together and it might be fun to spend it   
  
together away from home." she continued, putting her shoe back on and taking off the other. She gave  
  
Kagome a glance as she began scraping snow out of her shoe. "Do you know of any lodges or   
  
places to rent Kagome?" she asked. Kagome thought for a moment. Hadn't Shippo said something about   
  
having a home in the mountains? "Well, I might know of a place. I'd have to ask Shippo and In- er Mr.  
  
Shiro, I think they have a house upland that they might let us use, I don't know. I don't think my mom  
  
would like me spending the whole vacation away from the family anyways. I'll have to talk to her about   
  
it, sounds fun though." Kagome replied.  
  
"Really?! That would be great! In fact, I was going to ask you to ask him if he'd come along.  
  
Mr. Shiro could come too!" exclaimed the girl, clasping her hands together. "And Mr. Shiro wouldn't be a  
  
teacher any more either." she added playfully, giving Kagome a friendly nudge. Her smile suddenly turned   
  
devious while Kagome smiled at the girls innuendo, though it no longer was necessary. "Speaking of them,   
  
will you tell me about Shippo? Yuka and Eri were hogging him at your party and he's such an interesting   
  
person. I think we'd make a cute couple don't you?" Kagome gave her friend an annoyed look. "That's what   
  
inviting me to come home with you is all about isn't it?" Ayumi gave her a sheepish grin and rubbed the  
  
back of her head. "What ever gave you that idea?"  
  
*******************************************************************************************************  
  
Inuyasha leaned back in his seat around the long, oblong table, gnawing on his second pencil  
  
since the meeting had started. Correction: as the meeting started. The last few faculty members had found  
  
spots around the spacious table, which was situated in an otherwise completely bare room lacking any   
  
decoration or even windows. Mr. Ishimaru, sitting at the head of the table farthest from the door,   
  
cleared his throat. "All right, let's get started shall we? I know how eager you are to spend the   
  
afternoon here." A polite ripple of chuckling emerged from the teachers before it quickly disappeared.  
  
"Now then, let's get on with our monthly review. Miss Sakata, we'll start with you. Oh, and by the way,  
  
the rolls in the teacher's lounge were delicious." said the principal to the young woman to Inuyasha's  
  
left with a pleasant smile.  
  
A half an hour, and half a dozen pencils, later the circle of reports had nearly reached Inuyasha  
  
in its clockwise rotation. "Thank you Mr. Suzuki, I'll certainly bring up the issue of new computers with  
  
the board tomorrow." said Mr. Ishimaru, nodding to the man to Inuyasha's right. Inuyasha phased back into  
  
the conversation somewhere at that point to give his report, one that Shippo had prepared in advance for  
  
such an occasion as this. A bunch of crap about health awareness or something. "Well I think that   
  
concludes the meeting. Remember to have all grades into the office before Christmas break. I'm sure I   
  
don't have to remind you all on the policy for parties on the last day before break. Have a good day   
  
everyone." And with that the meeting ended and people began to converse among themselves and filter out  
  
of the room while Inuyasha sat blankly where he was, pencil in mouth.   
  
A few moments later Mr. Ishimaru began to walk by with a large folder in his arm, only to be   
  
stopped by Inuyasha. "Don't I have to say anything?" asked the hanyou, not that he particularly wanted  
  
to, but he had been sitting here doing nothing when he could be out with Kagome. The old man blinked.   
  
"Oh dear, I'm sorry Mr. Shiro. As you are not a true faculty member, you aren't required to make a   
  
report on the status of your department. You are welcome to attend these meetings but it isn't required   
  
of you. Once again I'm sorry, I didn't realize I hadn't told you. Have a good day." Inuyasha watched him  
  
as he turned and began his way towards the door, occasionally making conversation with teachers as he  
  
went. Inuyasha stared after him for a moment completely still. Then, with an inaudible growl he clamped  
  
down on the pencil, shattering what was inside his mouth. It didn't take very long for him to regret it.  
  
*********************************************************************************************************  
  
"I'll see you later Ayumi, thanks for letting me borrow your jacket. I'll bring it to school  
  
tomorrow for you. Oh, and tell your mom thanks for the snacks." said Kagome as she stepped out the front  
  
door of her friends house, covered in a warm winter coat. Ayumi smiled and waved from inside the door.  
  
"See yah Kagome. Make sure to ask Shippo if he can come." Kagome sighed in amusement and shook her head.  
  
"I think I had better ask my mom if I can go first. Plus we have to see if we can even use it. Don't get  
  
your hopes up just yet. Keep a lookout for any other places." Saying their final farewells, Kagome took  
  
her leave of her friend and began her trek through the snow. While the buses weren't operating any more  
  
in this part of the city, the steady flow of people had made the walkways easy enough to tread apon.  
  
Kagome let her mind take over the act of walking through the winter wonderland she found herself  
  
in and let herself drift into thought. 'It'd be great if we could go up there for at least some of   
  
Christmas break. I haven't had a chance to ski in years, I doubt I even remember how any more. I don't  
  
think Inuyasha would mind taking me up there some time, but Ayumi, Yuka, and Eri might be a little harder  
  
to bring along...' she mused, dodging a few passerbys absently before stopping at a cross walk with   
  
several other people. 'Probably won't be as hard as convincing mom though, I wonder just how big his   
  
house is up there? If it's as big as the one in Tokyo maybe we could all go.'  
  
The light changed to signal it was safe to cross and Kagome followed an elderly couple across  
  
the road. The rest of the walk was lost to Kagome as her thoughts drifted to various imaginings such   
  
as her family and friends around a fire as the snow continued to pile up, blocking their view of the  
  
mountains in the distance. Before she realized it, Kagome had walked up the last of the shrine steps  
  
and was standing and staring with unseeing eyes at the shrine grounds. From out of nowhere, a snowball  
  
suddenly struck Kagome on the arm, sending cold powder all over her. Kagome blinked in surprise, coming  
  
out of her trance to see Souta standing covered with a large jacket, scarf, and hat in the distance  
  
wielding a big grin and a bigger pile of snow balls. "Got you sis!" he crowed excitedly, tossing   
  
another snowball in her general direction and missing.  
  
Kagome smiled at her brothers enthusiasm. Heavy snow such as this was not a terribly common   
  
occurrence in Tokyo. It had been several years since they had enjoyed an experience such as this, an  
  
experience Kagome intended to obtain, pushing her thoughts aside for now as she squatted down and   
  
scooped up a bit of snow and patting it into a ball, savoring the icy cold tendrils lancing through  
  
her hands. Souta's eyes widened as he saw the projectile coming his way a few moments later, but it  
  
was too late to react. The ball caught him square in the chest. Kagome laughed slightly and scooped  
  
up some more snow before dodging a counter attack by Souta. Kagome circled her little brother, who   
  
responded by backing away towards the shrine steps, throwing and dodging the occasional snowball.  
  
Kagome tossed another ball, causing her little brother to jump back a bit. Unfortunately,   
  
he began to slip and waved is arms around to regain his balance. Kagome smiled triumphantly and tossed  
  
a second snowball straight at him. The boys unbalance came in handy and he slipped just before it   
  
reached him. The ball sailed past him and down the steps of the shrine. Kagome raised her eyebrow   
  
when an unusual splat was heard instead of the silence that should have resulted from snow hitting   
  
snow. Souta also turned from his place on the ground to look just in time to see a black haired   
  
Inuyasha make his way up the last steps, his face, other than his eyebrows which were arched in   
  
annoyance, covered by a certain frozen projectile. In his hand he was carrying the umbrella that had  
  
been loaned to him.  
  
Kagome bit her lip to prevent laughter, which would only cause problems, from erupting from  
  
her. Souta was of a similar opinion, clasping his hands over his mouth. Kagome prepared another two  
  
snowballs as Inuyasha walked past the boy and up to Kagome. "Well?" he asked, his mouth appearing   
  
from behind the snow. Kagome mouth finally twitched up into a smile a moment before she raised her  
  
arm and tossed another snowball at pointblank range at him, hitting him again in the face with a   
  
splat.  
  
****************************************************************************************************  
  
Kagome handed Inuyasha a towel, having fled very quickly to seek shelter in her home from  
  
Inuyasha's snowball wrath she had had plenty of time to grab him one from the bathroom. Her lips were  
  
still turned upward into a playful smile as the hanyou scrubbed his face and hair with the peace   
  
offering. "There you are Kagome, did you have fun at Ayumi's?" asked Mrs. Higurashi, coming into the  
  
room carrying a basket of dirty laundry. Kagome nodded. "I'm glad you called to tell me, I was worried  
  
about you walking home without a jacket. It was nice of Ayumi to lend you hers." Mrs. Higurashi turned  
  
to Inuyasha, who had finished drying himself, though his now silver hair was a bit frizzled, and   
  
smiled. "Hello Inuyasha, I'll take that for you." she said, indicating his towel. Inuyasha handed it   
  
to her and she placed it on the already large pile of laundry.  
  
"So, how was your day?" asked the older woman as set down her load by a nearby wall and began  
  
to tidy up a few things around the living room, wrapping up Souta's video game controllers and whatnot.  
  
Kagome, unsure to just whom her mother was addressing, spoke for the two of them. "It was fine, mom.   
  
Getting out of school early is hard to complain about." she answered, watching in amusement as Inuyasha  
  
tried in vain to flatten out a rebellious strand of hair. "Yes, it was quite a surprise to see snow   
  
when I looked out the window this morning. It's amazing how mother nature can so quickly change her   
  
mind about the weather. I heard on the radio that this winter is going to the coldest since 1906.   
  
Hopefully, we'll have a white Christmas. Wouldn't that be lovely? I always thought this old shrine   
  
looked the most beautiful when covered in snow. That's how it was when I met your father you know."  
  
said Mrs. Higurashi. She wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh dear, I'm getting all sentimental now." Mrs.  
  
Higurashi chuckled.  
  
"Speaking of Christmas mom. Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi came up with the idea that we'd all spend   
  
Christmas break up in the mountains together. I know you like the family to spend Christmas together,  
  
so I thought I'd ask you before I agreed. Maybe we could all go up." said Kagome to her mother. Unable  
  
to resist, she wetted her index finger and smoothed down the lock of hair Inuyasha that was still   
  
resisting him. Inuyasha made an annoyed face at the babying but allowed her to anyways. Mrs. Higurashi  
  
nodded and put a finger to her chin. "You're right Kagome, I would rather you spend your vacation here  
  
with us, but maybe there is a place nearby we could stay at or you can find a way to come back to at   
  
least spend Christmas day with us. We'll talk about it later, do you have any place in mind?" Kagome  
  
scratched her head. "Well, sort of. I still have to check and see if we can use it." said the girl,  
  
glancing at Inuyasha, who simply stared back in confusion. "I don't know if I feel very comfortable with  
  
just the four of you going anywhere in the mountains alone. I'd feel a lot better if you were taking   
  
some mature company with you. Maybe Inuyasha would like to go with you?" said Mrs. H, looking towards  
  
the boy with an affectionate smile.  
  
Kagome decided not to comment on the said mature company, seeking to press the advantage.   
  
"That's a definite possibility. We were going to ask if you and Shippo would come along Inuyasha."  
  
said Kagome. "Well, enough talk. There's plenty of time to decide, maybe you'll change your minds.  
  
You should be enjoying your extra free time! Go on now, make sure to stay warm." said Mrs. Higurashi  
  
with a shooing motion as she walked over to the table and picked up the umbrella Inuyasha had set  
  
there earlier. Inuyasha turned to Kagome with a fanged grin on his face and Kagome gulped. "Actually   
  
mom, I was thinking about staying in for some hot chocolate and-" "Nonsense!" cried Mrs. Higurashi.  
  
"Go out and have fun, Souta could use the company if you have nowhere you'd like to go." said Mrs.  
  
H, refusing to hear her daughter's veiled pleas as she all but pushed them out the door and slid it  
  
closed behind them. Kagome looked over at Inuyasha and smiled nervously. "So, do I get a head start?"  
  
she asked half jokingly. Inuyasha, still wearing his grin, said nothing and kneeled down in the snow,  
  
scooping up a rather large amount as he kept his gaze on Kagome the entire time.   
  
It didn't take Kagome long to get the hint. As Inuyasha packed the snow into something roughly  
  
the size of a basket ball, Kagome fled for her life towards Souta, who had been building a snow fort   
  
facing the door and stockpiling snow balls. Inuyasha let her reach the pitiful wall, where Souta,  
  
all smiles, handed her several snow balls. The hanyou launched his snowy projectile of destruction   
  
straight at the fort, though not as hard as he could have. The siblings ducked and covered their heads  
  
just as the ball collided the snow wall. Snow flew everywhere, but Souta had proved his worth as  
  
a fort builder as the wall held (though there was now almost as much snow on Kagome and himself as on  
  
the wall) despite losing a large amount of the top. The two recovered quickly, shaking off the snow   
  
and sending a hail of snowballs at Inuyasha. Most either miss or were dodged, but a few lucky shots  
  
struck home and covered parts of his red kimono with white.  
  
Inuyasha leapt upwards, landing some twenty feet to their left and scooping an even larger  
  
amount of snow before leaping again as the two began to toss snow balls at his new location. By the  
  
time he landed again his new snowball was ready. Instead of throwing it straight at them this time   
  
he hurled it upwards. Kagome and her little brother stopped throwing to watch it in horror as it   
  
slowly arched through the air towards them. No communication was neccesary for the two to both leap  
  
out of their protective barrier after it was clear it was going to hit. A tidal wave of white   
  
exploded from the impact site, sending snow in all directions. When the last flakes settled, the  
  
Higurashi fortress was no more.  
  
Kagome turned from where she had managed to get before the snowball had hit, dusting off a  
  
little snow from her rear end and smiling in childish pleasure as she looked at the wasteland of   
  
snow. Souta, who hadn't been so lucky in escaping, stood up from where he had been all but buried.  
  
Kagome laughed at the sight. All of his snow gear was completely caked with layers of snow, stuck   
  
to his body. "Souta! You're going to be soaked! You had better go inside and take all of those   
  
clothes before you catch a cold." she said. Souta nodded and quickly made his way back towards the   
  
house. "Well Inuyasha." said Kagome, turning. "I guess you-" She paused after noticing that Inuyasha  
  
was nowhere to be seen. "Inuyasha?" she asked, turning all of the way around. 'Why do I get feeling  
  
that this game isn't over?' thought Kagome.  
  
A gust of wind began to blow snow across the flat shrine grounds. Kagome shivered a little  
  
at the change in temperature and crossed her arms as she continued to search for the hanyou. Red   
  
wasn't exactly the most concealing color in a sea of white. She heard a soft noise to her right and   
  
turned quickly, but saw nothing. Warily, Kagome stooped down and grabbed a bit of snow to pack into  
  
a ball. Kagome continued to scan the area, a playful smile on her face. She began towards where she  
  
had heard the sound. "Inuyashaaa." she called. She heard another sound from behind her and quickly   
  
turned and threw her snowball, at nothing.   
  
Kagome scooped up another ball of snow continued her walk until she had reached the entrance  
  
of the well shrine, a place where she hadn't entered in some time. On a whim she entered, closing   
  
the door behind her. She rested her elbows against the old well and peered down. Memories of all of  
  
the exciting adventures she had gone on came back to her in a flood. The first time she had been   
  
pulled down the well, the fight with Yura the hair, Kikyo's return, the final battle for the shikon  
  
jewel. Kagome let her snowball, watching as it dropped down to the well's bottom, where it exploded   
  
into a cloud of snow before settling. She could still remember the battle with crystal clarity, how   
  
they had won. She had often daydreamed at the possibilities that could be once it was all over, how  
  
Inuyasha would treat now that he didn't need her to detect shards. Now that it was, Kagome had to   
  
wonder if it was worth it. She had Inuyasha and Shippo, and their return had for these past weeks  
  
blotted out the pain of the loss of all the other people who were important to her. She hadn't even  
  
so much glanced at the shrine in who knew how long. But now it all came back. Sango, Miroku,  
  
Kaede, she'd never see them again. They could never be part of her life again. Kagome felt a few  
  
tears run down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away with a finger.  
  
Kagome sighed. She shouldn't grieve any more. It was time to go forward in life with who   
  
she still had. But, she could always remember. It would never hurt to remember...  
  
***************************************************************************************************  
  
The sky was black and lightning streaked across the sky. No wind blew across the open,   
  
desolate field where they all were. It was as if the forces of nature themselves could not stand   
  
the presence of one so evil as Naraku. A maniacal laughter assaulted the group, all ready for battle.  
  
"It is true, what they say. I see it now for myself after all this time. The shikon no tama truly is  
  
most beautiful when corrupted." said Naraku, clutching the completely formed jewel, his eyes radiating  
  
with something that could be best described as insanity.  
  
Kagome looked around to her allies in their war with Naraku, her friends. "Get ready everyone,  
  
this is it." she called over another bout of Narku's laughter. "Now Shikon no Tama!" Shouted the   
  
demented hanyou, standing far above the rest on a large outcropping of rocks which jutted out of the   
  
ground, likely caused by the evil energy that was still swirling around that point. "Grant me my wish!  
  
Rid me of my accursed humanity forever!" With brutal force, Naraku slammed the object into his bare  
  
chest, splattering a bit of blood as it embedded itself into his rib cage.  
  
The already darkened jewel began to radiate an almost black light, sending bolts of energy   
  
flowing across the skin of the one who had dared to call on its power. Screams depicting a fraction   
  
of the pain that he was no doubt feeling erupted from Naraku, his hands clutching his chest as he  
  
fell onto his knees. Kagome's group tensed as the energy began moving faster and faster over his body,  
  
causing him more agony, until it was nothing but a constant glow of dark red and purple energy covering  
  
every part of his body. The energy began to throb, sending waves of dark light across the field. Faster  
  
and faster it began, brighter and brighter until everyone but Inuyasha was shielding their eyes. Then,  
  
the light stopped, leaving the world comparatively dark, before the brightest flash of them all   
  
appeared several, incredibly slow, seconds later. The light encompassed everything, blocking out all  
  
over sights but the light.  
  
It might have been a matter of seconds, perhaps a matter of hours or days, before the light   
  
subsided, the screams as well. When the group's eyes readjusted, Naraku was kneeling calmly as if he  
  
had done nothing more extravagant than tell a slightly funny joke. "It is done." he said, his voice  
  
holding no emotion. "I am complete, and you are all doomed." Inuyasha gave a snort of contempt. "You   
  
doubt me hanyou?" asked Naraku, gazing down at the mere insect. "Perhaps if I demonstrate..." he   
  
said, more to himself than anyone. He calmly reached out his arm towards the warriors, who all gripped  
  
their weapons more tightly. Scales seemed begin to cover the hanyou turned youkai's arm. Faster than  
  
an eye blink, the scaly arm stretched forward, growing to the size of a very large tree trunk.   
  
Kagome felt herself whisked away by Inuyasha just in time to escape the attack, which crashed into the  
  
ground an instant later, the shockwave knocking the two around in mid flight like flys. Inuyasha turned  
  
himself enough that when they hit the ground he landed on bottom, creating an impressive crater.   
  
The others were in similar situations, thrown around like rag dolls. Naraku watched as his arm  
  
returned to its normal size, though it remained scaly. "Is everyone all right?" called Inuyasha as he  
  
helped Kagome to a standing position, a little awkward considering he had the Tetsusaiga in one of his   
  
hands. Affirmatives came from the group, no injuries. "What amazing power, more than I had imagined."  
  
muttered Naraku, gazing at his arm. "What little chance you might have had has just disintegrated.  
  
I will show you the rightful power that I now posses!" roared the demon to the group, his entire body  
  
beginning to morph and change, scales beginning to pop up everywhere. Kagome stood in awe at the   
  
transformation. Naraku began growing, and growing, and growing, his body changing colors and shapes as  
  
it did. It became clear what was happening, all of the hundreds of youkai that made up the foul demon  
  
were appearing in the form of parts of his body. His arms, legs, everything were turning into a   
  
writhing mass of youkai. A bellowing laugh erupted from the maw of many youkai. The transformation   
  
was complete. The overall form was something of a behomothic dwarf, a dwarf made up completely of   
  
smaller youkai connected together.  
  
"Shit." Inuyasha hissed, bringing the Tetsusaiga to bear with both hands. Kagome saw in the  
  
distance Kirara leap into the sky with Miroku, Sango, and Shippo (cowering in rear of course) on her  
  
back. Sango was shouting something to her but she couldn't make it out. Whatever it was, Sango suddenly  
  
leaped off the back of her companion and loosed Hiraikotsu at the enormous entity. The boomerang cut  
  
a large gash across the shoulder, if a large, ever-changing swarm of youkai could be called a shoulder.  
  
Hiraikotsu returned to the hunter's grasp and she landed gracefully back on Kirara, who turned to make  
  
another pass. The mammoth head of the new Naraku turned to the four. "Fools, you're weapons are useless."  
  
he taunted, the wound inflicted regenerating as he spoke. "Kagome! Stay here!" Inuyasha called as he   
  
leapt upwards. 'This isn't good.' thought the miko as she raised her bow and notched an arrow, closing  
  
in eye to take aim.  
  
"KAZE NO KIZU!" roared Inuyasha, swinging his sword in a downward motion. Kagome released as   
  
soon as she saw the familiar beams of energy spout forwards. The two attacks intersected precisely   
  
at the right moment to cut deep into Naraku's chest. In certain places the gashes went all the way  
  
through the body. A roar of pain emerged from Naraku as he staggered backwards on his pedestal. His  
  
head, voidless of any visible eyes, turned towards the two. The wounds began to heal, though slower  
  
than before. He stepped forward, swinging an arm towards the still airborne Inuyasha. The hanyou had   
  
no chance of dodging and was shot backwards from where he came. Kagome's eye's widened just before   
  
the hanyou slammed into her, knocking her breath away as well as sending spots before her eyes as  
  
they tumbled backwards in a tangle.   
  
She must of blanked out for a moment, because when she opened her eyes Inuyasha was standing  
  
above her, protecting her as Naraku ponderously came towards them, causing the earth the shake with  
  
each step. She saw Miroku and the others struggling to stand up from where they where now were. Her   
  
hearing must have been temporarily paralyzed as well, for she could see Inuyasha's lips moving, but  
  
heard no sound. Naraku stopped some fifty feet away, momentarily distracted by something behind her.  
  
Suddenly, her hearing came back all at once, a piercing howl breaking her deafness. She saw figures  
  
running past her in a blur. It took her a few moments to realize they were wolf youkai, dozens of   
  
them. A pair of arms lifted her up and turned her around. "Kouga-kun?" she asked, staring at the  
  
amorous wolf youkai. He flashed her a cocky grin. "Didn't I tell you I'd protect you? Can't expect  
  
dog boy to manage on his own can I?" At any other time this would have been met with a scathing   
  
comment from Inuyasha, but he was too busy hacking at one of Naraku's legs to notice. "Besides."  
  
the youkai continued. "We have two grudges against him. Not only did he kill my friends, but he stole  
  
my jewel shards as well!" Kagome opened her mouth to speak, but with a wave and another grin, Kouga  
  
ran off, a bit slower than he used to be, towards the battle.  
  
When Kagome turned, bodies were strewn everywhere. Some were still moving but it was clear   
  
that at least a few were dead. Kagome felt a twang of pity for these souls, who's only crime was   
  
that they were trying to help. With new determination, Kagome picked up her bow and fired off several  
  
more arrows in quick succession. Several new wounds appeared on the body of their enemy, though it   
  
wouldn't be long before they regenerated again. Kagome saw Sango in the air again, preparing to   
  
throw her Hiraikotsu again, but Naraku was too fast. Before she could react, a lance of youkai reached  
  
out and pierced her in the stomach. The girl's eyes widened as the youkai continued straight through  
  
her back. "SANGO!" Kagome cried in horror, rushing towards the girl as she was flung clear by Naraku,  
  
landing with a heavy thud onto the ground. She didn't move.   
  
Kagome was all but hysterical when she reached her friend, dropping her bow and falling to her  
  
knees beside Sango. Kagome grabbed the wounded girl by one of her hands. "Sango! Are you alright?"   
  
What a stupid question to have asked, of course she wasn't all right, she had already lost enough blood  
  
to be in trouble. Sango turned her head slowly towards Kagome, her face contorted with pain. She tried   
  
to say something, but it wouldn't come out as anything but a gurgle. Kagome did have any time to grieve,  
  
as a wave of dark energy flew so close above her that she nearly had her head cleaved off. Kagome looked  
  
up to see where the energy came from, only to come face to.. well knee of Seshoumaru, who stood nearly   
  
above the fallen youkai exterminator, holding the Toukijin in his hand and pointing it out towards   
  
Naraku, who had just received an enormous gash from the attack of said weapon. The inuyoukai paid no   
  
attention to the two girls below him, staring impassively at the monstrosity before him. The noise of  
  
fighting softened for a moment at the sight of this newcomer, unknown to be friend or foe, as Naraku   
  
turned towards Inuyasha's half brother.   
  
"Naraku." he called. "You may look like a youkai now, but you will never be more than a pathetic  
  
half breed in my eyes." Naraku bellowed in fury at the comment. "I, the lord of the west, will never   
  
bow to such a thing as you. It is here you will be destroyed." Seshoumaru continued, raising the point  
  
of his sword. As if it was a signal, a battle cry sounded from behind Seshoumaru. From the shadows a   
  
horde of youkai, armed and armored will various items of varying quality, streamed out, charging around  
  
Seshoumaru and the two girls. These new reinforcements jumped upon Naraku's gigantic frame, hacking,   
  
tearing, and biting at him only to be knocked away by the dozen. Seshoumaru sheathed his blade for the  
  
moment and gazed down at the two humans. Silently, he unsheathed his other blade, the Tensaiga. Kagome   
  
watched as, in a wide arc, the youkai sent a wave of healing wave of energy flying across the battlefield,  
  
reviving the many dead and dieing wolf youkai. Sango gasped and Kagome looked down at her again only to  
  
see the grievous wound heal before her eyes. Uttering a sound of joy Kagome looked back up at Seshoumaru  
  
to say her thanks. However, the youkai was already walking past her towards the battle. He turned his  
  
head to look at them for a moment. "Fight." he commanded.  
  
Kagome didn't have much recollection of the next minutes of fighting, it all blurred together   
  
into a big web of fighting, death, and destruction. The next thing she did remember clearly was standing  
  
once again by Inuyasha's side. The hanyou's left arm was hanging limp by his side and a dozen large  
  
gashes were leaking blood onto the ground below him. It was clear they were losing, despite overwhelming  
  
numbers. Inuyasha knew as well, she could tell. "Kagome." he murmured, looking over at her. Kagome looked  
  
at him and his expression. She didn't need words to tell that he was about to do something drastic,   
  
something that might kill him. Without warning, he leapt forward, the Tetsusaiga above him in his one  
  
good hand. "Naraku!" she shouted at the top of his lungs, sailing towards his head. The massive blob  
  
of youkai turned towards him. His massive maw opened and hundreds of tendrils reached out, grabbing at   
  
the hanyou. Inuyasha struggled, swinging his blade at the tendrils until his sword arm was also trapped.  
  
Kagome felt her heart stop as the hanyou was pulled in, the mouth closing around him, swallowing  
  
him whole and leaving no trace of Inuyasha. Time seemed to stop all across the field as Kagome stared in  
  
absolute horror. Inuyasha was gone, if he was lucky he was dead. If not, he was now part of Naraku.  
  
He was gone.   
  
Ceased to exist.  
  
Dead.  
  
Dead.  
  
Dead, such a hollow sounding word  
  
Kagome felt a level of hatred emerge from her that she had never felt before. The kind of hatred that defies  
  
all rational thought, all sanity. The kind that comes from a place deeper than the consciousness. It seemed  
  
to be radiating off her in waves. Indeed, it was in the form of pink energy, no longer the pure pink of before   
  
but a darker pink. Naraku seemed to sense this over all the energies on the battlefield as Kagome raised her   
  
bow and arrow, her face in a expression beyond description. The tip of the arrow glowed the same color as the   
  
energy radiating from her body. The massive youkai's taunting laughter reached her ears as he turned his full  
  
attention towards Kagome, ignoring all of the insignificant ones attacking him. "Go ahead miko, your   
  
hatred will only make me stronger. All things are more beautiful when once pure but now filled with malice  
  
and you are now exception. Fire then! Show me your might!" His voice rumbled towards her, goading her on.  
  
Kagome was more than happy to comply, releasing her arrow and sending all of her negative emotions  
  
towards him. The arrow struck dead center on Naraku's chest of wriggling youkai, piercing a hole slightly  
  
smaller than a basketball straight through. Naraku laughed cruelly at the girl, feeling exhausted from her  
  
outburst. "Do you see how futile it is? You can never kill me- what?" Naraku's head titled downward   
  
towards his chest, where a fist, glowing slightly red, was sticking out of the whole that had just been   
  
made, clutching something small. "NO!" roared Naraku, but it was too late. Inuyasha burst out from the   
  
monster, clutching the jewel in one hand and the Tetsusaiga, which was emitting the protective red barrier,  
  
in the other. All fighting stopped as the fighters gazed up at the monstrosity, that began to wail   
  
unintelligible things as convulsions began to rack Naraku's body.  
  
The Shikon no Tama, glittering in Inuyasha's hand, showed the terrible price to be payed for   
  
invoking its power. Naraku's mighty body seemed to wrap around itself tighter and tighter, a terrible   
  
sound of a thousand wails emitting from it. It was the sound of all of the youkai that had come together  
  
to form Naraku from the husk of Onigumo, the thousand calculating minds behind the eyes of Naraku. The  
  
youkai formed a rapidly condensing ball, the wailing increasing. By the time Inuyasha had landed onto the  
  
ground, falling to his knees after his great exertion, the ball was no bigger than a pool ball. Then, it  
  
disappeared, erased from existence. No sound, no bright lights or flashes. The price of the jewel was   
  
simple, everything.  
  
The battlefield was silent. No one said anything, they were all too tired to say anything. But   
  
all could tell, it was over.  
  
********************************************************************************************************  
  
Some thirty minutes after she entered, Kagome let herself out of the shrine, wiping the last  
  
tears from her face. She found Inuyasha leaning against the side of shrine, waiting for. He stood up  
  
as she turned to him. "Are you all right?" he asked as the began to walk away by silent consent. Kagome  
  
smiled at him. "I'm fine, I guess you could say I just needed to exorcise a few old ghosts." she replied.  
  
Inuyasha nodded, wrapping an arm partially around her. A few moments later he smirked. "Good." he murmured,  
  
dropping a large snowball on her head.  
  
-  
  
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-  
  
SOOO LONG! In fact, I think it might have topped Pretending as longest single thing I've ever written.  
  
Hope you enjoyed! And to think, I was worried that this chapter would be too short.. I have carpal tunnel! 


	19. Across Time Part 19

Across Time Part 19  
  
Kazaa! I live again! Hello everyone, miss me? Dare I explain my absense, other than the fact that I have a girlfriend to use up all my time with? Well, I've been in Australia for three weeks and my internet is down back at home even though I have had this chapter done for weeks. I also have a new one shot for you all that is almost done. Hope you will like it!  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-Valdimarian- Yep, you forgot. It is all in the first chapter. Kagome was going to give Inuyasha the jewel and leave,  
  
Kikyo showed up, the well basically ate her and sucked Kagome in, leaving the jewel behind. The well then  
  
wouldn't let Inuyasha through as destiny had been fulfilled.  
  
-Valdimarian- I did ok, not as good as my PSAT though. I think I was in about the top 5 percent or so.  
  
-dragolord04- Well for one I don't let her read my stories nor do I discuss them or anime with her, in fact I haven't  
  
even seen an Inuyasha episode for like a year, I just write from memory :D. Also, the fact that I apply my romantic  
  
creativity in our relationship is a plus.  
  
-Smurf2005 - Here you go, more romance.  
  
-Endless Moonlight- I'm really sorry but I don't even have time to write my own fics. I normally do read others   
  
stories when they ask but yours is just a bit too long for me to read at the moment. I'll read one of your other two  
  
Inu fics if you like, or you can just ask again next time I post a chapter (and remind me that you've asked before)  
  
-MitsukiKikistar- stuffs girlfriend wanted: apply inside sign in the garbage Ehehe, well all of my female readers  
  
out there have had more than enough time to accidently drop their phone number in an email to me. No one took me up on the offer so I went and bagged me one for myself :D.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
"Everything looks so much different with snow everywhere." commented Kagome as she and Inuyasha, in human form of course, walked through the near deserted streets, an uncommon sight in Tokyo. The snow fall had subsided for the moment, though the overshadowed sky threatened to continue the storm at any moment. Inuyasha made no reply, it was one of those statements that didn't need or ask for one. "I wonder what the park looks like. I don't think I've ever seen it covered in snow. It's only a few blocks away. Want to go look?" she asked to the hanyou walking beside her. Inuyasha made a gesture of consent, something of a lopsided shrug. Kagome smiled and let her hand slip into his. "Let's go then." she said, tugging him in the  
direction she wished to go and urging him to speed up the pace from the lackadaisical one they had been walking at.  
  
It didn't take them long to traverse the few blocks. "It looks so peaceful." Kagome murmured, still holding on to Inuyasha's hand as they stood at the edge of the small patch of green, though white at the moment, roughly the size of one of a city block in an otherwise metallic world. There were no tracks in the snow leading into this side of the park, adding to the tranquil look of it. Kagome felt a pang of guilt at disturbing the picturesque view as she led Inuyasha through the encircling barrier of trees to the center of the park, where a great bronze statue stood on top of a pedestal.  
  
Kagome stopped a few feet away from the statue, looking up at it as she had many times before. The engraving at the foot of the statue had been eroded by time, weather, and the occasional street punk but the statue itself remained a bastion against all of these things. It was made in the image of a tall, stern looking man with broad shoulders dressed in traditional armor. In his left hand were a phoenix feather and dragon claw. In his right was a traditional kantana, its tip touching the ground near the feet while the hand gripped the top of the hilt. Kagome didn't know who the man was, probably some great shogun or samurai. "When I was a little girl, I would come to this park with my family just to look at this statue. I didn't know what why, there was just something about him that would make me come and look. I always felt like the thing he was staring at in the distance was the shrine, since he is facing that way. I guess I thought it was only fair to return the favor." Kagome said, smiling in amusement. Inuyasha smirked as well at her comment, staring up at the proud statue.  
  
"I wonder who he was and what's the meaning of the statue." Kagome said to herself absently. "Hideyoshi Toyotomi." replied Inuyasha. Kagome blinked and turned her head to him. "Really?" she asked in surprise. Inuyasha nodded. "He holds the katana to symbolize the war that ended with the defeat of the Hojo clan and his rise to power over all of Japan. The phoenix feather traditionally represents the phoenix, which symbolizes the start of a new age. Dragons were associated with the Yang, which was always believed to be part of change. In his life he changed Japan from warring states to everyone under a single banner, starting a new age." said Inuyasha, his face becoming serious as he spoke. Kagome was astounded. "How did you know all of that Inuyasha!? Grandfather didn't even know!" Inuyasha's smirk returned and he affectionately flicked her nose. "I told you school's a waste of time." he teased. Kagome sighed as she rubbed her nose, smiling. She decided not to continue their centuries old argument of school at the moment, preferring to enjoy the moment (minus the sore nose of course). She released Inuyasha's hand and walked up to the statue, brushing off a bit of snow on the platform. "I think I liked him more as just the man who stared at my house all day." Kagome said  
as she sat down at the figure's feet.  
  
Kagome took a deep breath and stretched her arms back until her hands were nearly touching the leg of the frozen Mr. Toyotomi behind her. A casual scan of the area showed that they had the park to themselves for the moment. As she stretched a gust of wind happened to pass over the two, causing Kagome's already contracted muscles to shiver. When she let her muscles relax, she gently patted the stone platform. "Come sit down with me please Inuyasha, it's cold out." she said bringing up her legs and wrapping her arms around them, rocking back  
and forth slightly. Inuyasha didn't have to be asked twice. A moment later he was sitting beside he, his arm around her while she leaned against him for warmth.  
  
"Better?" asked Inuyasha. Kagome nodded, closing her eyes in enjoyment. The world became a distant thought as her mind began to wander aimlessly. "Oi, Kagome. Wake up." eventually came Inuyasha's voice, piercing through the daze. Kagome opened her eyes and blinked several times. The sun was nearly over the horizon, evidently she had fallen asleep. The girl straightened up quickly. "Mother's going to kill me! I promised to help with dinner tonight. We've got to get going." Kagome made to stand up, scooting forward from her perch. However, the rock proved to be slick, causing her to slip. Inuyasha saved her from a nasty headache, grabbing her faster than a normal person could react, the end result being Kagome being held bridal style on Inuyasha's lap.  
  
Impulsively, Inuyasha lowered his to hers and caught her lips in a brief kiss. "Well." said Kagome, when she had the use of her mouth again, her forehead still touching Inuyasha's as they gazed at eachother. "I guess a few more minutes wouldn't hurt."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So did you ask them?" inquired Ayumi. The four girls were sitting on the tops of their desks as they waited for the first hour bell to ring. Kagome shook her head, shifting so that she was leaning more than sitting on it. "No, sorry it slipped my mind. I didn't see Shippo anyways and I wanted to ask both of them at the same time. I don't even know where it is. It might be on the other side of Japan, for all we know, in some remote part where no one lives for a hundred miles." Kagome replied. Ayumi sighed and clasped her hands to her heart. "All the more romantic." she said in a daydreamish tone, earning her a light kick from Yuka, who was  
sitting on the desk next to her. "So Kagome, getting ready for entrance exams? Which school do you hope will select you?" asked Eri.  
  
A/N- In Japan school of choice is all but non-existent. Most Japanese students go to where ever they qualify. Entrance exams are everything, there are even high school entrance exams which determine where you go for high school.  
  
Kagome shrugged. "I haven't really thought about it, somewhere close to home I guess." Eri nodded. "With you being sick all through high school I don't blame you. It probably isn't good to get your hopes up." Ayumi stood up and pointed a finger in the air. "I'm going to study real hard so I can get into Tokyo University! Shippo and I were meant to be!" she cried, earning her many stares from the rest of class. Noticing the attention, Ayumi blushed and sat back down. They continued to chat among themselves until Miss Sakata, their language teacher, came in. She was a young woman in her late twenties, tall and thin with small glasses perched on her nose. She wasn't extraordinary beautiful, but she wasn't single because of lack of attention  
from men either. Miss Sakata was a brilliant woman and was well loved by the school board because she not only could teach advanced Japanese, but also English, French, and several other asian languages, saving them much money by not having to employ one teacher per language, but could pick several for her to teach. She was a bit of a curiosity among the students, who wondered how she could teach three of her language majors throughout  
any single day with a class every class hour and still have everything always graded the next day. Not to mention how she was still sane.  
  
"Good morning class." she called over the dull roar, beginning to write the current assignment on the board, in Japanese as this was one of her three Advanced Japanese classes spread throughout the day. "Take your seats and settle down." She said, glancing over her shoulder. "Oh, you three, I'll need to see you after class again, you know there's no sitting on top of desks." she said to Ayumi, Eri, and Yuka, who all groaned as they slid into their seats. Kagome was spared as she was not sitting, but merely leaning against the desk. "Great, another lecture on how the boys can see up our skirts." grumbled Yuka. "What was that Miss Doi?"  
"Nothing ma'am."  
  
The morning passed in a flash and the four didn't have a chance to speak as a group until lunch. "I've gotta start bringing my lunch." muttered Eri as she picked up her plate of... foodlike substances as she made her way through the lunch line. "It's not that bad." said Ayumi, in between sips from her milk. "That's because you don't have any taste buds." said Yuka with a sigh, making a face at her plate. Kagome was inclined to agree. She knew that the cafeteria ladies did their best, but one didn't make gourmet cooking through mass production of food. "Let's grab the end table before it fills up." said Yuka as the four paid for their meals.  
  
"Is it just me or does Miss Sakata hate our class? Two pop quizzes in two days!" said Ayumi as they sat down at the suggested table. Eri picked at her food. "It's not that bad." said the girl, mimicking Ayumi's voice. The jab went unnoticed. "That's because you're a genius! They're not even going to let me take the exams if my grades get ruined by her stupid quizzes. I'll never get into Tokyo U!" Eri rolled her eyes. "You got a B on yesterday's quiz Ayumi." Ayumi gave a frustrated sigh. "And YOU got an A, plus the extra credit! You know you can get in, but some of us aren't freakishly smart." Eri scratched her head sheepishly. "Actually, it was an A-, and I only got one of the extra credit."  
  
Yuka made a soft oohing sound. "Speak of the devil." said the girl. "Careful Kagome." Yuka said, a joking tone in her voice as she turned to the silent girl, silent as she was trying to swallow a mouthful of whatever was on her plate. "Looks like Miss Sakata is going after your man." Ayumi patted Kagome on the back as she began to choke, assumingly because of the terrible taste of her food.

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Inuyasha sipped at his tea before setting it down besides a small teapot, which he had brought from home. "Hiya." came a voice from his side. Inuyasha glanced away from the students, and one group in particular, to the voice. He recognized that it was the young woman from the other day. She was leaning slightly with one hand against the table and holding a drink in her other "Hello." said Inuyasha gruffly. The woman beamed at him and extended the hand resting against the table, straightening as she did. "I'm Nyoko Sakata. I don't believe we met. I've been gone on a month long world trip. I was nominated to go to a few countries to speak at a several seminars meant to bring foreign countries together and I just got back Saturday. You're the substitute gym teacher aren't you?" Inuyasha gave her a wary look before taking her hand and shaking it. "Naya Shiro."  
  
"Mind if I sit down?" she asked, unperturbed by his indifferent behavior. Inuyasha shrugged, returning his gaze to Kagome just in time to see her gagging while one of her friends patted her on the back. "Sure." he replied. She slid into the seat and turned towards him, stirring her drink with her straw. "So how do you rate our school compared to other schools you have taught at?" she asked, continuing to stir her drink. "It's the best I've ever taught at." he replied as he smirked, whether it was at the irony of his statement or the fact that one of Kagome's friends had accidentally drenched the girl with water as she tried to aid Kagome in her choking fit.  
  
Miss Sakata raised an eyebrow. "You're just saying that aren't you?" Inuyasha shrugged and continued to watch Kagome. The girls had finally gotten a glass to her mouth without spilling it on her and Kagome had taken large gulps of it before gasping for air. The teacher was silent for a few seconds, still stirring her drink. "Something interesting going on?" she asked. "Something a lot more interesting than you." At least, that was what he WOULD have said if he hadn't resisted the urge. Inuyasha took a sip of his tea to keep himself from opening his big mouth. He turned his head to Miss Sakata before she could trace his gaze to a certain girl. "No." he replied. Apparently this woman wasn't going to get the hint that he didn't want to talk.  
  
Her smile reappeared at the new attention. She took a sip of her drink from the straw and then set it down. "Have you had any problems with any of the students? I know some of them can be real buggers." she asked. Fond memories passed through Inuyasha's mind. Memories of soccer brutality mostly. "There were a few, but I took care of them." The female teacher thankfully didn't inquire on just how he had taken care of them, instead giving Inuyasha an once over in admiration. "I bet you did. Taro, excuse me you probably know him as Mr. Ishimaru, has told me he is very impressed with you. He commented on how the students seem a bit more healthy as of late. Who knows? Maybe if you stick around there may be a job for you next year." she said, giving him a wink at the last part as she made a graceful gesture with her left hand.  
  
Inuyasha glanced quickly back to Kagome, who (though soggy) was watching the two of them with perhaps the vaguest hints of jealousy, or perhaps the result of nearly asphyxiating on cafeteria food. "What about the other guy?" asked Inuyasha, not even considering coming back to this school, or any school, once Kagome had graduated. A plate crashed somewhere in the distance. The noise level suddenly rose a few levels as several students began to yell, probably about the plate. Miss Sakata turned her head towards the distraction. "What in the world?" she asked to no one in particular as she witnessed a circle forming around a table in the Junior section of the cafeteria. It was near the border where the Senior tables were located.  
  
The yelling intensified and the entire room turned to argument. Several teachers began to make their ways to the circle a few seconds before the scuffle broke out. The sound of chairs being knocked over and the contents of tables hitting the floor quickly followed. No one knew whose brilliant idea it was to start flinging food, but it quickly caught on. Several shrieks rose to amplify the already noisy room as a large number of the girls fled the food war, including Kagome and her friends. Huge globs of greasy food flew from all over the cafeteria, the scuffle turning into a free for all as the teachers tried in vain to stop the ruckus. Inuyasha stood, watching the fight. Miss Sakata also stood. By this time the walls were smeared with food and drinks, not to mention most of the remaining students and faculty. Finally, the warriors seemed to  
tire of the battle and the food slowly stopped flying. When all others had stopped, one last projectile was thrown by a lone student somewhere in turmoil. The food, which turned out to be vanilla cake, hurtled through the air towards Inuyasha's table. "Oi, watch-" Inuyasha's warning came to late and the cake crashed into Miss Sakata's startled face. "Out." he finished. The woman stood still for a few tense moments before reaching up and scooping some of the icing off her face and popping it into her mouth. "Still think this is the best school you've ever taught at?" she asked. 


	20. Across Time Part 20!

Across Time Part 20

Well hello people. Its been a long, long time eh? Honestly don't know why I even happened to stop by but your pleas touched me so I give you this. The last chapter that I wrote before I.  
well, stopped writing. I know, it's terrible of me to do this to you people, you who have raised me to become one of the most popular Inuyasha writers of my time. But, I'll be frank with you people. I don't watch Inuyasha. I haven't seen anything past the 30th episode and I wasn't even watching when I started writing the beloved (and horribly composed in terms of spelling and grammar) Time for a Change. The only reason I've been writing so long was because I loved it. SO I give this to you, perhaps this will signal my return, probably not. But I'm going to go finish a short fic that I had been writing as soon as I post this (I can't even remember what this chapter is about its been so long)  
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-I'll answer reviews though you guys probably don't remember your comments Oh, btw, I'm still dating my girlfriend if you're wondering.  
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-Inuchic515- Ehehe well thanks alot, though I guess I've let you all down now.  
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-Smurf2005-That pocky is probably stale but I'll take it. And no Kagome didn't have anything to do with starting the fight.  
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-I am Sango-Lol I have no idea what allusion to school of rock you are talking about. Please show me, but it wasn't intentional.  
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-fuma-the-dragon-of-earth-Another school of rock comment. What is everyone talking about?  
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-Inus lil Miko- er yeah he does, sorry I didn't catch it. It can be our little secret that nothing happened.  
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"I'm very disappointed with you all." said Mr. Ishimaru as he paced up and down a very long line of grime covered students, all with their eyes glued to the floor in customary respect. Facing the students was a line of teachers, some covered in grime some not. Inuyasha was there as well, a pencil casually placed in his mouth as he watched on with his arms crossed. Mr. Ishimaru rubbed his temples gently. His expression was one of anger, accented by the red hue his face was gaining over time. His face wasn't the only thing with abnormal color. He himself hadn't been spared from the battle. His suit was covered with various stains, the most prominent around his belly, looking like it came from a grape juice of some kind. "You are all far too old for something like this. What will people think if they hear that this school's students act like second graders"  
he asked, raising his voice as he turned on his heel to pace the other direction. "You two!" he said, pointing to the two students at the very center of the line. They were also the only two bruised. They flinched as he pointed at them. "You are both suspended for the next two weeks. I expect a ten page report on why what you did was wrong from each of you when you get back if you ever want a prayer of entering college. Before the boys could protest, the principal turned his gaze on the rest of the students. "As for the rest of you..."

Mr. Ishimaru paused for a moment, letting the students wait in nervous anxiety to hear their sentence as he wiped the sweat accumulating on his brow with one food covered sleeve. The end result was a small streak of red sauce being left behind, but no one dared to even breathe, let alone laugh. "You will all receive an unexcused absense for the rest of your classes while you clean up the mess you made of the cafeteria. INCLUDING the lights Mr. Horoto." The boy mentioned winced and smiled sheepishly before a glare returned him to admiring the floor. "This will be put on all of your records, and a notice will be sent to all colleges that have previously accepted you or are otherwise affiliated with you. Pray that you won't lose your scholarships over this. You will also be serving two days of in school suspension." he said, making a sweeping motion to the row of students. He then scratched his head and surveyed the group. "However, the school is not prepared with the facilities for such a large group of perpertrators. Therefor, I will have to ask Mr. Shiro to watch you in the gym for the first four hours of the day for the next four days. You will return to your afternoon classes as normal. You will not be able to make up any work missed on the first two days nor will you receive credit for any work done, but any work missed on Friday and next Monday may be made up at your disgression."

The moment those words were out of his mouth a pencil lost its life a few yards away. A few seconds later Inuyasha might have lost his as well if several helpful teachers hadn't been around to give him a good patting on the back. The principal sighed and looked down at his clothing, pinching a bit and pulling it forward so he could see more clearly. "Now go get cleaned up in the showers, you'll be cleaning those as well once you are done." he then gave them a wave of dismissal, one they obeyed very rapidly, and turned to his faculty. "As for us, if you are clean please go to your next hour classes. The rest of you are dismissed to clean up, return when you are finished. If you are clean, please watch over teacherless classrooms as best as you can. We don't need another disaster today." The man then gave a glance at a wall clock partially covered in Jello. "It seems we've missed a class hour in all of the commotion. Adjust your schedules accordingly." And with that the poor man gave a nod and began to walk towards the cafeteria exit, muttering about board inquiries and other, less polite things.

A few hours later, the chase was on once again. The final bell had rung and the halls were quickly emptying as students were freed from the bondage of desks and pre-calculus quizes. The few that still lingered in the hallway payed to attention to a girl moving quickly through followed a few steps behind by a raven haired man. "Kagome, come back here." Inuyasha hissed as he chased after the girl, dodging several students that were in his way. "I can't, I have something to do. I'll see you in a minute." replied the girl hurridly, increasing the gait of her step. Inuyasha wasn't one to accept something as that and doggedly followed after. "Why are you walking away from me?" he asked as he reached for her arm, though failing to grab her because of a passing student forcing him to move around. "I'm not! I told you I just have something to do!" she answered, turning the corner. Up ahead a group of students were gathered near the teacher lounge. They were apparently waiting for one teacher or another. Kagome managed to squeeze through, but the students shifted so that there was no longer a gap. Inuyasha wasn't about to be stopped by this unsuspecting roadblock, and with a growl he plowed through them, causing the students to stumble in all directions. 

It just so happened at that moment the door to the teacher's lounge opened and Mr. Ishimaru and Miss Sakata, both in new sets of clothing and carrying cups of coffee, stepped through, Mr. Ishimaru in front. "It took me an hour to get some of the food off my skin. Remind me to suggest we divert more funds to cafeteria food." said Mr. Ishimaru just as a black haired blur collided with a group of his students. One poor boy was pushed towards them and the principal had just enough time to widen their eyes before the student crashed into them, sending coffee everywhere. The three stood there in silence for a moment before the unlucky student pulled away, stammering apologies as he did. Mr. Ishimaru looked down at his shirt, which now sported a nice brown stain down it, and pulled at a bit of soggy cloth before shaking his head and sighing. He turned his head to Miss Sakata, who had been spared from the mess and had a hand over her mouth. Perhaps it was in shock but more likely it was to stifle the choked laughs. "I'm going home." he said in defeat.

Meanwhile, the race had made its way half way down the hall. Up ahead a group of students were clumped near the exit, chatting among themselves. "Stop being jealous over the damn teacher!" called Inuyasha as he approached to pounce. "This has nothing to do with Miss Sakata!" The group of students, and the exit, were now only yards away as they passed all but the farthest rooms in the hall. "Then what are you running for?" countered Inuyasha. All of the sudden, Kagome stopped abruptly in midstride. Inuyasha would have plowed in to her if it hadn't been for his innately quick reflexes, which allowed him to stop mere inches behind her. Slowly the schoolgirl turned around, fists clenched and face beat red. "BECAUSE I HAVE TO USE THE RESTROOM!" she hollared at the top of her lungs straight into his face. Had she been any louder and she would have blown his straight backwards by the sheer force of it. The students nearby stopped what they were doing to turn and stare at the two. Inuyasha's face was one of total dumbfoundedness while Kagome's was growing even redder as she shielded her face with one hand while dashing into the girls bathroom a few feet ahead and to the right. Inuyasha watched her enter and could only find the neurons to say a single word. "Oh."

"Yep, that's right! She said as long as I stayed till Christmas day we could spend the rest of the vacation together." The sun had made its way about three quarters of the way across the sky. Despite the large walls, the wind managed to blow against the upper branches of the substitute God Tree. A single golden leaf broke away from its branch, floating down in long circles towards the grass where Inuyasha was sprawled out on his stomach as he held his head in his hands. Silently it landed on the tip of one of his ears. He twitched it absently as he watched Kagome talk on the phone with one of her friends, or perhaps all three at the same time he didn't know, while she leaned against the front door with a portable phone in hand. The leaf had just begun its renewed journey to the ground when a stray gust of wind managed to move over the walls and catch it in its grasp, blowing it off on some new journey. "Yes, we talked and Mr. Shiro said we could stay up with him at his cabin. There's room for all of us and mom wants some adult supervision up there anyways." There was another pause before Kagome gave an exsasperated sigh and shook her head. "Yes, Shippo is going to be there." Shippo,  
who was leading against the big tree in his normal form with a large book in hand, chuckled.

There was another pause as Kagome was asked a question. She turned towards Shippo. "How are we going to get up there Eri wants to know." Shippo thumbed the book as he searched for his place. "We'll take my car and rent a van or something to carry all of the luggage and whoever we can't fit. I'll take care of it this week sometime. Should be pretty easy to get a vehicle still." Kagome nodded and turned back to her original position. "He said he'll take care of it." A moment later she rolled her eyes. "No I'm not going to ask him that." Shippo shot her a questioning look and Kagome mouthed the word "Limo". Inuyasha snorted. "You should have been able to hear that, the phone's right there." Shippo shrugged. "I wasn't paying attention." The kitsune raised an eyebrow teasingly. "Unlike some people."

"All right, I'll see you tomorrow. Bye." Kagome pressed the button that ended the connection and set the phone in front of the door before pushed herself off the ground and walked over to where Inuyasha was laying with her hands on her hips. She bent over and pinched one of his ears. "You're listening in on my phone conversations Inuyasha?" she asked teasingly as she smiled at the hanyou. Inuyasha moved his ear out of her grasp. "You were right there. If you didn't want me to hear you should have gone inside." he said in defense of himself. Kagome's smile grew bigger and she sat down closely to him. "Hearing and listening are two different things." she countered. Before Inuyasha could continue the casual arguement, Kagome moved her arm to his other side and pulled herself over until she was laying back to back on top of him, using his hair as pillow. She absently reached back for one of his hands that was holding his head (and consequently hers as well) up and slide her hand inside, pulling it back until it was extended by their sides. Inuyasha shifted his other hand slightly to compensate but other than that they were both still. Shippo glanced at them with a smile before returning his attention to his book.

After a few minutes of listening to the rhythmic breathing and heart beat of her living bed in silence,  
Kagome turned her head towards Shippo. "What are you reading Shippo?" she asked. Shippo looked up from his novel and turned the cover towards her. "Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes. It's basically about a guy who goes crazy and tries to become a knight. It's a comedy, but the humor is pretty dry. I'm sure it was a lot funnier back in the century in which it was written." he replied casually. Kagome gave a little 'ah' and the boy went back to his reading as Kagome settled back against Inuyasha. They were silent for another few minutes.  
Inuyasha absently ran his thumb across her hand as they shared in the pleasure of physical contact. Eventually,  
Kagome spoke up. "Tell me a story Inuyasha."

Kagome couldn't see his face, but she suspected he had a puzzled expression on his face. "A story?" he asked. Kagome nodded. "About what happened after the well sealed. Neither of you has really said much about it." Inuyasha stiffened ever so slightly, but Kagome didn't notice. Meanwhile, Shippo set down his book and looked on in interest. For a while, Inuyasha said nothing and Kagome gave him a little jab in the side to encourage him. "Well? Are you going to tell me?" she asked. "The villagers held a memorial for you and Kikyo.  
Around the well." Inuyasha finally said. "They built a shelter around it to protect it. Miroku blessed it and put ofudas on it. It got torn down later during a war, but some of the old villagers still remembered it and eventually the whole grounds were concentrated and they built a shrine." Shippo added to Inuyasha's sparse details.

"Miroku and Sango got married. After that Miroku stopped groping women besides Sango. Kaede lived for gods know how long and Miroku took over when she died. Shippo cried a lot." Inuyasha continued. Shippo gave a snort and ran a hand through his hair. "You cried more than I did." he grumbled. This time Kagome did feel Inuyasha tense underneath her, adding some weight to Shippo's statement. "Sh-shut up!" said Inuyasha as he began to detatch his hand from hers, probably to search for some blunt object to throw at Shippo, but Kagome squeezed tightly and after a moment Inuyasha relented. "Is that so?" asked Kagome, struggling not to smile about a subject that was obviously very touchy to Inuyasha. She turned herself so that she was more on her side and had a better view of the back of Inuyasha's head, detatching her hand from his so that she could use the arm for leverage. Seeing the two possible outcomes for this discussion and not wanting to be there for either, Shippo gave a cough. "I'd better go get that reservation." said Shippo, standing with his book and retreating to the house, picking up the phone as he entered.

Neither of the two made a response, the world around slowly fading out of focus to them as everything centered on the small patch of ground where the were laying like a spot light in a dark theater. Inuyasha was silent for a long time before he made a response. He reached out in front of himself with his now free hand,  
extending a single finger out until it brushed against a blade of grass as he spoke. "That's the past." A rather unsatisfying answer in Kagome's opinion. "The past is very important Inuyasha. What happens can affect who we become." she argued as the hanyou gently moved his finger back and forth over the small, green plant.  
Inuyasha made a soft keh sound. "More like what doesn't happen." he said softly, his eyes now solely fixed on the piece of grass as he continued to stroke it with his finger. "You weren't there, for any of us. Gone." he continued before she could inquire what he meant. Kagome turned herself fully onto his back and did her best to hug him. "You know if I wanted to be there Inuyasha. You know I tried to get back to you.. all of you." she whispered, stirring up some of his silver hair with her breath.

Inuyasha blinked, making another soft keh sound and sharply retracted his finger through the blade of grass as the spell the grass seemed to have over him was broken. It was such a quick and fluid movement that the blade didn't even move until a soft blast of wind blew the the severed tip away. "That's the past." repeated Inuyasha, slowly rolling to his side so he didn't alarm the girl and turning around to face her. Kagome sighed and let her arms fulling wrap around the hanyou. "I guess so" she said, looking up at him. The proximity of their faces caused a magnetic attration the quickly drew the two into a kiss. When they had drawn back, Kagome gave him a smile. "But at least we have a future." she said. In the air, the leaf and the piece of grass met, circling about eachother for a brief moment in the wind's current before returning onto their separate journeys. 

So how was it? What was it about for that matter? Mind giving me a summary in your review :P 


	21. Across Time Part 21

Across Time Part 21

Omg whats that? An update? Wake up you're dreaming. Honestly I can barely remember any details of this fic.  
I'm kinda sad. If I ever do finish this its going to be completely different (and probably no where near as good) as my original scheme. I admit that I'm cutting a lot of corners just to compress this into as few installments as possible. Well no review response this time, but I do read them so keep them coming.

The next morning Inuyasha walked, well more like trudged, into the gymnasium with a tired expression on his face. He had spent yet another night awake in deep thought. Not that he had generally slept all that much recently, less as the days drew closer to Spring. Imagine his great surprise and infinite delight to find dozens of students standing, sitting, and misbehaiving in what he had begun to consider HIS gymnasium. Inuyasha let his gaze slide across the room as he gripped his little folder tighter. "Damn, it's too early." he grumbled after a moment and began his walk past the chatting boys to his office. "Hey Mr. Shiro!" called one of the boys when Inuyasha was only a few precious steps to freedom. "What do you want us to do?" he asked, getting a groan from his classmates for reminding their teacher.

Inuyasha stared at the boy for a few moments as he came closer. "I don't care what you do." he growled,  
turning back to his office. "So can you open the storage locker so we can play some basketball?" the persistant boy asked. "No." Inuyasha replied stepping towards his office. "Well you just said you didn't ca-" the boy was cut off short as Inuyasah turned around and grabbed him by the scruff of the shirt and lifting him off the ground. Now this boy was not by a long shot the lightest of his class, yet the boys witnessed their teacher single-handedly lift him from the ground, stopping all talking in the room. "How about you run laps?" Inuyasha growled. The boy gulped and nodded. "Yes sir." he whispered. Inuyasha dropped him and looked at the rest of the kids. "That means you too." The boys all jumped in the air at the sound of his voice and promptly began high tailing it around the gym. Inuyasha turned and shook his head as he began walking to his office. "Too goddamned early."

The girls all squeeled in delight. "So its all set? He has the transportation and everything?" ask Eri excitedly. Kagome nodded as she took a bite of her sandwich, she had begun brining a sack lunch after the food fight incident. "Yep, they rent it out as condos during the year. There are five beds in three rooms. that's one for each of us." Kagome replied. "Not if I can help it." murmured Ayumi, sporting a naughty grin.  
Her toe was promptly stomped by three different feet. "Not so fast guys." Kagome said. "Party pooper." whispered Yuka. Kagome glared and continued. "You still have to get the ok with our parents." Yuka snorted.  
"What parents?" she asked. "Mine have already said yes, they miss the cold as much as I do so they're going to visit relatives." said Ayumi. "I didn't think my mom was going to be so easy." said Kagome. "She's determined to make my last christmas as memorable as possible. For her at least, she was already stocking up on video tape." Ayumi patted her on the back. "Well it worked out Kagome. She Wouldn't want you to miss out on some alone time with our favorite gym teacher would she?" Kagome blushed a very deep red. "Well, my dad told me its ok if I go as long as I do good on my exams." said Eri, promptly whipping out a math book. "Say, what class is that Eri?" Yuka asked, lifting the cover of her book but finding no answers there. "Oh, it's Advanced Placement Honors Calculus." replied Eri. "Pretty easy stuff. Sigma notation, integration, etc."

Yuka rolled her eyes. "So you do that after you multiply right?" she asked sarcasticly. Eri would have replied, but for Ayumi, who whipped out a bandana and tied it around her head. The writing on the fron read I love Shippo-chan! Noone was surprised. "Well, I'm going to do awesome on these exams so I can get into Tokyo U!" said Ayumi. She pointed a finger into the air. "I'm coming Shippo!" The tables around them went silent. "You've got to really stop doing that Ayumi." Said Eri, covering her face with her book. The other two girls nodded, hiding their faces as well as they could. "Say, I wonder if we'll have a exam in gym?" said Ayumi. 

Speaking of gym and favorite gym teachers, Inuyasha was at his customary position at the teachers' table. He never missed a chance to see and smell Kagome, thought it was a bit hard due to the stench. And there was also the minus of company... "You've done an excellent job as a substitute Mr. Shiro! I've never seen the students so fit. If you stick around for a few more years there may be an opening for you here. Its a shame that Christmas will be the end of your time here." If Inuyasha was actually paying attention he might have noticed that this all seemed like a rather familiar speech, but he wasn't and simply nodded and said a thankyou. Finally, the tubby man walked off, though perhaps it would have been better if he hadn't. "My, I love the Christmas time." commented Miss Sakata from her spot next to Inuyasha. "It's such fascinating holiday. Perhaps the only one that you could go anywhere in the world just about and find some version of it being celebrated. And my how some people celebrate!"

Inuyasha had to agree with that. After all, living through five hundred years he had seen some pretty wild celebrations, even before the christian beliefs became incorporated with the old winter festivals. His particular favorite involved Shippo, and the memory rarely failed to warm his heart, especially when he was looking at Kagome at the moment of thought. Even to this day could Inuyasha blackmail Shippo for this incident. It'd make an interesting beside the fire story this christmas. "So do you have any plans this Christmas?" the teacher asked. "You could say that." Inuyasha replied. And oh the plans did he have, five hundred years worth of plans. "Really? And -" Just then the first bell rang and students began shuffling off to their next class. Teachers watched closely from every entrance and exit to make sure no misbehaiving or food throwing occured during this time. "Well, I suppose I'll see you later." said Miss Sakata, giving a friendly wave. Inuyasha nodded and stood, walking towards the nearest exit to the gymnasium.

"You are supposed to have an exam in gym." Inuyasha said. There was no groan, no complaining, just silence.  
Fear was what dictatorships were made of and what was gym if not a dictatorship? "Questions will be from you tests that you have had this semester. So go do whatever you want for the rest of the days here." said Inuyasha, waving them away. And so the reign of Naya the terrible was ended and peace was restored to the kingdom of Gym. At first, no one could believe it and they all were still in surprise. It wasn't until their teacher unlocked the door to the supplies and walked towards his office did the first tears of joy begin to well up and laughter was once again heard in the gymnasium.

Inuyasha stood impatiently outside of the school, waiting for his love. His love that had forbidden him ever to come near her in the school again after the bathroom incident that is. The day had gone by fast for him,  
considering as soon as he had freed his classes he had slept the rest of the time. Inuyasha suddenly raised an eyebrow. Something was wrong, he could feel something. The weight of eyes on his back. Quickly he spun around and let his eyes dart around the area. Instinctively he clenched his fists. Nothing. Just students mulling to a fro accented by the occasional teacher or other adult. Inuyasha relaxed slightly. Nothing, always nothing, just as it had been for years. But still, had he seen a flash of black? "Hey, what'cha looking at?" asked Kagome as she arrived, giving him a poke in the back. "Nothing." Inuyasha replied after a moment, turning towards her. 'I'm just a bomb about to explode because of me resisting the urge to jump on you right this moment and it's making me halucinate.' he added silently. "So do you have anything planned today?" Kagome asked as they began to walk. Inuyasha pushed his dark thoughts away and managed a sarcastic look.

"Oh right." Kagome said smiling. "You never have plans." Inuyasha begged to differ but said nothing. "Well,  
I got this movie a while back and I've been dieing to see it. All my friends said it is really great. Want to go watch it?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha shrugged. "Sure." he said. It wasn't a very long time before they arrived in the safety of Inuyasha's residence. Kagome looked around for a moment, trying to spy a television.  
"You DO have somewhere to watch this right?" Kagome asked. "In here." Inuyasha said, indicating the "east wing"  
of his home. He lead the way into a large room with little more than a very long couch and two cushioned recliners along with a large cabinet to the sidee, but still no TV. Kagome commented on this fact and Inuyasha reached over and pressed a button. Magically a large flat screen began to drop from the ceiling. "Wow!" Kagome exclaimed as Inuyasha took the movie and went to the cabinet. He opened it, revealing a large selection of movies as well as a large selection of electronics. As Inuyasha fiddled with the vcr, which he obviously had little experience with as multiple times he would push in the video only for it to come back out, Kagome noticed a white door at the other end of the room. "What's in there?" she asked.

"Shippo's room." replied the hanyou, who looked like he was about to bite something now that he was in his true form since entering the house. "Damn thing stop doing that!" he growled, hitting the vcr none to lightly.  
"Funny how I've been here so many times and I haven't even seen his room." Kagome commented. "No one sees Shippo's room." replied the hanyou, finally succeding in getting the tape to enter the vcr. "No?" asked Kagome. "Why not?" Inuyasha smirked. "Because he booby trapped it. Trust me, nasty stuff." Kagome scratched her head and went to sit on the couch. "Why would Shippo booby trap his door?" "Because he's a Kitsune." Kagome looked at Inuyasha, who looked back innocently. She had a feeling it might be another reason as well.  
As if to prove this point the vcr decided that it didn't like the taste of Kagome's video and spit it out, along with a length of film. Needless to say hell broke loose. 


End file.
